


Prancer

by boysquipleurent



Category: K-pop, VIXX
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Anal Orgasm, Anal Sex, BDSM, Buckle up, Dom/sub, Humiliation, M/M, Master/Pet, Multi, Pet Play, Pony Play, Prostate Milking, Public Sex, Puppy Play, Sex Toys, Spanking, Strapping, Subspace, non-graphic enema scene in chapter 3, ruined orgasm, this is going to be filthy guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2018-08-13 13:54:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 30,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7979083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boysquipleurent/pseuds/boysquipleurent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wonshik never sees it coming.  This wasn't how it was supposed to go.  But when he steps out of his Appraisal, the oracle announces that his role as a pleasure servant will be as a...pony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Putting the Cart Before the Horse

**Author's Note:**

> Good luck, friends. I hope this tickles someone's fancy. 
> 
> This work will portray human ponies as well as other pet play, and a fantasy 24/7 BDSM lifestyle.

     Wonshik lets his mother fuss over his hair as his sister peeks around the door, giggling softly when he winks at her. He waits patiently as she oils his hair and frets over him in general. He’s relaxed in his chair, and he bats his mother’s hands away when she goes to tie up the front of his tunic.

     “Stop, Mama, I like it like that,” he laughs, standing and giving her a hug. He knows that she’s more nervous than he is, to be honest. “Besides, it’s fitting, isn’t it?” She huffs and tweaks his ear, muttering about the trials of having a “mouthy child” even as she hugs him tightly.

     Wonshik is twenty-two now, and he thinks that it is time he be Appraised. Though children of the kingdom have no set age they must choose a trade by, most are apprenticed before their mid twenties. In their kingdom education is valued even for the poor, so schooling is mandatory until sixteen, and many continue lessons until eighteen or even twenty. After they become adults, children may choose a trade, or if they are not ready or have no inkling of what they may want to do, they travel. Some choose to continue their schooling to the high levels required of scholars, healers, politicians, and mages. Others flit from trade to trade until they find their calling, and some simply use the time to enjoy themselves until they must turn to carving out their own lives.

     For those who do not know what they should try, or who take their idle years and are still unsure, there are the Appraisals. The young adults are presented before the various guildmasters of their town, who make note of their abilities and talents, and make suggestions, or even vie to get particular candidates to enter their trade. The most important part, and the true test, however, is when the candidates enter their temple’s inner sanctum by themselves. There, they wait before the deity of vocation, and the jewel in the statue’s head turns a deep green, they may leave, where the local oracle will be waiting to tell them the fate they are most suited for, which most choose to follow, though a few reject.

     There is another type of Appraisal, however. It requires its participants to enter totally willingly, and the doors to the sanctum will not open if a candidate does not fully consent with their heart, mind, and soul. Those who choose to enter, and are granted access, are Appraised for their merits as a pleasure servant.

     Not only will this appraisal, meditated before the pleasure gods, tell a person if they are fit to serve in the pleasure vocations, it will also recommend one, or sometimes two, of the many different types of work they are suited for. The prophesied positions of this Appraisal are taken far more seriously. Each pleasure vocation requires a large amount of training, and the pleasure gods of each sect do not choose their acolytes lightly, so there are nearly no cases of pleasure Appraised citizens rejecting their calling before their first year is complete.

     In fact, it is said that once this kind of Appraisal is announced, even if a candidate had never heard of the sect before, they will feel an undeniable calling to it, awakened within them. Many even talk about previous parts of their lives now making sense in context of their roles.

     Wonshik kisses his mother on the cheek and hugs his father with a clap on the back. He scoops his sister up and twirls her around, as much as he can anyway, now that she’s gotten so tall.

     “Be careful,” his mother whispers, hands twisting in her apron.

     “I will be. I’ll be home in time for dinner. They’ll send a messenger when I go in,” Wonshik tells her cheerfully, before stepping outside and joining the throngs of young people attending today’s Appraisals. He smiles up at the sun in the cloudless sky and falls in with some of his friends. When they reach the split paths to the temples, Wonshik waves at them, and steps onto the one that leads to Pleasure.

     At first Wonshik had thought he would choose minstrel as his trade, or some kind of musicmaker vocation. He had even traveled with troupes for over a year, to see what his life could be like. But when they stopped to have some fun at a pleasure den one night, Wonshik found a new world.

     It was a publicly licensed pleasure den, so it was clean and comfortable. The attendants had cooed over Wonshik and many showered the young man with attention, pleased to have the chance to teach yet another young one. As it turned out, Wonshik wanted to learn more than just the cursory basics, so when the troupe departed, he stayed behind. That first pleasure den, The Silk House, will always hold a fond place in his heart. He had made his home there, and still wrote to the little family he had found. He had never worked as an attendant, because he wasn’t allowed to without the proper training, but he had learned from the many teachers there, had spent time working in the town to make money and amusing himself with the other young people there, and he found that as time passed, he still wanted more.

     So Wonshik had used the rest of his idle years to travel to other pleasure dens, bath houses, massage parlors, even torture temples. The human body was a marvel to Wonshik, the way it could be manipulated, the myriad things that could make it writhe in delight. In each town he tried his hand at other trades, like building, carving, writing, and hunting to earn his keep while he dallied and played, but over and over he was drawn back to the spoils of the body.

     Wonshik was pleased to find it suited him, when he thought about it. He knew his body was in good form, and he had always been popular growing up, with many people regardless of gender. And most of the pleasure servants had talents like playing music or dancing or some other diversion like he did. They were entertainers, those charged with making life more bearable, whether that was through pain or a comforting hand, or both, and there were layers to that. People wanted to feel like someone cared, Wonshik discovered. Fucking was only a small part of it.

     He could feel that tug in his chest each time he stepped outside the pleasure dens, the longing to go back in. According to those he talked to, that was the burgeoning call of his vocation.  He would have to answer it at one point or another, whatever form it took. When Wonshik felt he had traveled and sampled enough, and was ready to really begin his life and start his training, he had returned home. He had ideas of what path he might like to go down, but he wasn’t sure which to choose, and was happy to discover what fate thought he was meant for.

     Wonshik’s family, while musical in their leisure and hobbies, all had other vocations, baking for his father and bookbinding for his mother. They were proud of him, though. Pleasure servants were as respected as anyone else in their society. They kept people content and peaceful, preserved stories and songs, and did hard work that many others simply couldn’t. So Wonshik felt light as he entered the temple with their blessing, submitting to the health examinations and questions about his experience from the guildmasters of the local pleasure dens while he waited his turn to enter. He watched with interest as the other young people went in one by one, a smaller crowd than the other Appraisal that was occurring right now. A few were turned away, some looking relieved while others looked confused or devastated, though they would be allowed to return in a year's time if they thought they were still called to this path.

     At last Wonshik’s name was called, and he stood tall, approaching the large stone doors at the top of the hewn stairs confidently. He stopped before them, staring up at the large carvings in wonder. He only had time to take another breath before they swept open, and Wonshik stepped inside the cool, dark chamber, the doors closing silently behind him. He felt at ease at once, and moved towards the pile of cushions in the center of the room, surrounded by representations of each sect, the pleasure goddess herself sitting high on a shelf cut into the far wall. Wonshik knelt respectfully and closed his eyes.

     He imagined, hoped, that he would get an assignment as a pleasure den attendant. He’d like to be a specialized one, maybe even work at some of the less intimidating torture temples. There was no question, of course, that he would find his role to be a dominant. He had been the one to make people sing, before, and while he had tried his hand on the other side and found it enjoyable, he knew his own charisma. He enjoyed drawing out people’s emotions, exhausting them, peeling each of their layers back. There was no other power, nor responsibility, like it.

     He supposed, of course, he could even settle for being a pet. Perhaps a hound, or something wild. He would be well taken care of, pampered even, and he could still be an alpha, someone’s prized hunter or guard who was responsible for good lines of breeding and running a pack. Wonshik smiles to himself, even with his eyes closed. He’s sure he’ll be happy with what the gods choose. It’s obvious to anyone who knows him, of course, that these are the sects that will favor him and his personality.

     Wonshik loses track of time. It feels like he’s been here for hours, though his muscles don’t ache and he doesn’t feel panicked at all. He’s heard it’s often like this, no matter what kind of Appraisal you take part in. Time loses meaning here in the darkness and the quiet. Wonshik actually relaxes more, letting his thoughts wander, remembering his many friends and mentors throughout the past few years, his first experiences, even his school years.

     Then his breathing catches suddenly. He can’t describe what it is, but something…someone is there. With him. Looking at him, his heart, his soul, his memories, his whole being. It feels as though….someone is smiling at him.

     Wonshik’s eyes open on their own, and he sees the soft violet glow of the jewel in the pleasure goddess’ lap.

     It’s done.

     Wonshik rises on legs that seem a little shaky now, and he steadies himself. He will not stumble. He walks towards the doors, feeling as though he’s in a dream of some sort, and he blinks rapidly, even in the dim lights of the temple. The oracle is waiting there, right outside the doors, and she places a hand on his shoulder, looking at him with a warm smile. Still holding onto his shoulder, she turns to the waiting participants, the masters, and his family.

     “Kim Wonshik has been chosen by…"  He takes a breath, filling with anticipation, his eyes bright.  "Epona, Rhiannon, and Arion of the Equus sect, the deities of the pleasure ponies,” she announces.

     The breath leaves his chest too fast.

     … _no_.


	2. Hoofing It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik is pretty sure his mouth's open.

     Wonshik is pretty sure his mouth’s open. His parents are smiling, though his mother looks slightly concerned, so he tries to pull himself out of his own shock. It’s difficult. He can’t really hear anything around him, it all just kind of sounds like wind. He can see the oracle’s mouth moving, probably congratulating him, but he doesn’t actually hear the words. He must manage to pull an acceptable expression onto his face because his mother’s smile turns a bit more genuine now. He walks down to them without really being aware that he started moving.

     The closer he gets to those still waiting, the more he starts to come out of his stupor. He opens his mouth to say something as the masters and the others offer him congratulations, and he finds it’s totally dry. He does his best to smile at them, even if it’s just pulling his lips up at the sides. It probably looks grim, but it’s better than what he currently wants to do, which is run back up the stairs and bang on those stupid doors, demanding to go back in. This isn’t right. It’s a dream. It’s definitely a stress dream, and soon he’ll wake up and it will be the real day of the Appraisal and everything will be fine, and-

      He reaches his mother, who hugs him tightly, and he bites his lip viciously to keep the lump in his throat at bay as he squeezes her back.

     “We’re so proud of you,” she tells him softly, and Wonshik’s stomach drops unpleasantly. His father claps him on the shoulder and ruffles his hair.

     “That’s my boy.” His father is beaming, and Wonshik feels his stomach drop further. His father really is genuinely proud. Wonshik doesn’t know why. Maybe he doesn’t understand what this means, what it….what it _says_ about Wonshik. His sister is looking at him, a little lost, but giving him a hesitant smile because everyone else looks happy but her brother looks like he’s about to run out the door, out of town, and just keep going. He can’t scare her like this, so he scoops her up in another hug like before. She wraps her arms around his neck and hangs on, just like when she was little. 

     “Did they mean….human ponies?” Eunyoung asks softly.  Wonshik takes a slightly shuddery breath and nods.

     “Yeah….yeah, they did.” 

     Wonshik’s family lives in a town that’s only two day’s ride from the capital by horse, by…biological horse, that is (Wonshik shivers a little at the fact he now has to think about that), so even though they are not a huge town, they still have the chance to see traveling merchants, or lords and ladies on a journey elsewhere. Wonshik’s family has even been to the capital for celebrations a few times in his life, so they’ve all seen the ponies before. Outside of specific districts within the capital and other large cities, as well as some towns, any pet or pleasure servant must be covered enough to at least be considered decent. Though most young children are socialized to be fine with nudity and their bodies, pleasure servants are, at their core, inherently sexual positions, and there is no need to expose children to that aspect before they are adults.

     So when they come to the towns, ponies are dressed, usually in light fabrics that won’t restrict their movement or cause them to overheat. They are a very distinct sign of wealth because biological horses are still used for the majority of work in the kingdom’s cities and countryside. Human ponies cost more, are more complicated to upkeep, and have greater limits on the tasks they can perform, though human strength can be surprising. As such, ponies normally pull carriages for their owners in teams, or may be ridden via saddles that fit around the back and shoulders. Wonshik has heard the best ones are shown off in competitions, even. It’s rare to see ponies drawing wagons or carts, or doing harder labor. If that is the case, it’s likely those ponies were lent out to the farmer or trader using them for some kind of punishment. Wonshik feels a little sick at the thought. 

     “Guess all those piggyback rides you gave me came in handy, huh?” Eunyoung manages to surprise a laugh out of him with that, and his heart is a little lighter, at least for a moment. He sets her back on the ground and smiles. 

     “Guess so. No, I am not giving you and your friends free rides.” She’s the one to laugh now, and he’s smiling still. His stomach lurches again after a second again, when the joke fades and he remembers that it’s what will soon be his reality. His mother looks relieved, though, so he doesn’t give into it this time, leaving the temple alongside his family.

     Wonshik blinks a little in the sunlight, taking a moment to adjust to the roar of sound around them as Appraisal participants gather together to announce their vocations and celebrate with their families. Wonshik thought this would be the most exciting moment of his life. Now he’s dreading it, having to face his friends and tell them that he’s a…pony.

     It’s not that ponies aren’t useful or respected or don’t have their place. It’s just that…. _he’s_ not a pony. Ponies are…. They’re… They’re work animals. They serve. They do their work, and they’re happy with the little things, they’re totally focused on just doing their assignments well and pleasing their masters. It’s true they’re still respected but ponies are still seen as different among pets. In Wonshik’s opinion, they have no agency. They’re not like pups or kittens, they don’t get to lay around all day, or go wherever their masters do, nor do they have time for anything besides work and sleep. They’re put on display, usually naked except for their tack, and they’re… Even the largest of studs wears a tail. And while tails are attached to harnesses when outside the designated districts, when in public, the rest of the time, they’re… They…

     He’s _not_ a pony. This is a mistake.

     There are people talking to him. Wonshik tries to focus on their friends, their neighbors, all around him. His father is _beaming_ still. Wonshik guesses that he must only be imagining the honor, the new status Wonshik will have despite his role, that he’ll have a good life. He’s probably imagining that Wonshik will serve a lord or lady after his training. If he finishes his training, that is…

     He has to try to stop getting lost in his thoughts. It’s hard to wrench himself back into reality, to chat with well-wishers when he just wants to go home and hide. His friends and neighbors are kind about it, at least to his face. Some seem genuinely excited for him, while others are clearly surprised. Everyone he meets offers him encouraging words, though. He knows some might not be so nice about their shock that the swaggering Kim Wonshik has been given a role that is so subservient, especially once out of earshot. His friends invite him out for celebratory drinks and he accepts eagerly, if only so he can dampen his unease with alcohol.

     He promises his mother, again, to be home for dinner and then sidles into a large pack of others his age. He just wants to forget this. The tavern isn’t much better, though, alcohol only loosening people’s tongues, which results in a lot of jokes about Wonshik’s new position and how unexpected it is. Wonshik knows that the jokes aren’t meant to be malicious, but they still make him withdraw little by little. It’s hardest to swallow the bile when talking to his friends, or even those he didn’t know well, who received the positions he wanted. ‘ _They don’t deserve them,’_ he thinks to himself viciously, even if that’s a ridiculous notion. Nothing is how it was supposed to be, and Wonshik’s entire future has just diverged hugely from his vague plans. He’s angry and all he wants is to sulk bitterly and have someone agree with him, instead of telling him to take comfort in the fact that this is supposedly “meant to be.”

     He stays, though, memorizing people’s faces because soon he probably won’t see them again. He already feels separated from them, but their presence is comforting. Dinner is easier than he’d thought it would be. They don’t just talk about Wonshik’s future, and it’s comforting to hear Jiwoo going on about her lessons and what her friends are up to, and what she thinks she might be called to do in a few years once she graduates and travels for a bit. He sits with them after dinner, too, pretending to read. He’s really just thinking. He gives some thought to saying no, to not even trying this, and he’s short of breath, feeling discomfort in his chest and ribcage. Earlier today he was so excited to leave, and now he just wants a few more days with his family, here where it’s safe and he knows who he is.

     After everyone has gone to bed, Wonshik is still awake, listening to his sister’s breathing from the other bed in their room. The door opens quietly, and he rolls over to face the wall. Someone sits on the edge of his bed, fingers carding through his hair.

     “It’s okay to be disappointed,” his mother whispers to him. “And scared. And angry. I know it was the last thing you expected.” Wonshik curls up a little more. He can’t hide things from her even as a grown man. “You’re going to do so well, though, my darling. I know that maybe you don’t want to do well. But just…give it a chance, my love. At the worst, you can come home after a year.”

     Wonshik is silent. His mother’s words are of some comfort, at least. But this is supposed to be what he was meant to do. The doors _opened_ for him. To give up…it’s something he never even considered before, and he feels a little ashamed even just imagining himself leaving after a year. 

     “It hurts, doesn’t it?” his mother asks softly. “When you try to think of pulling away.” Wonshik is finally surprised into looking over at her, shifting a little to turn towards his mother. She smiles fondly. “I thought bookbinding would be a terribly boring profession. I had wanted to be a righter, or a manuscript illuminator, someone who really made the books. Or I wanted to have a vocation where I could travel. I was so upset that I was so close to the vocations I had wanted, related but not the same. I was angry that the others would get all the prestige, while I just sat in the back and put things together.” She brushes his bangs out of his eyes. “It worked out for me in the end. I know it doesn’t for everyone. But the training and the job were different than I imagined and I gave it a chance. And I’m very happy I did. But you know that I’ll support you, whatever you choose, my darling.” 

     Wonshik sits up suddenly and wraps his arms around her, clinging to her like he used to when he was small and had a nightmare. She holds him, humming a favorite lullaby of his from years ago until his shaking stops.

  ~

     All of the new apprentices to be get another day at home. There are messengers sent to the town to inform all of them where they will be going for their training, and what they must bring. A large portion of people are staying in town or others nearby, apprenticing to people they’re known their whole lives. But those in more specialized trades, like Wonshik, will be traveling to the larger cities. Due to their town’s location, and apparently his evaluations from the Appraisal, Wonshik will travel to the capital. Though he still believes this has all been some kind of mistake, he will receive the best training in all of the kingdom. He worries if that’s a good thing in this case. 

     They tell him not to bring much. A few simple changes of clothes and some provisions for the trip there. Everything else will be provided, he’s told, and he will not have need of much else during his first year. His parents will look after things here, of course, for whenever he is able to visit for holidays.

     His parents practically make a feast for him that night. They all stay up late into the night, talking quietly, remembering the times when Wonshik and Eunyoung were small. The next morning, wagons are waiting in the center of town. Wonshik bids his parents goodbye, and hugging everyone tightly. He lifts Eunyoung off the ground.

     “I promise I’ll come back for your birthday, even if they keep me so busy I can’t return for anything else,” he promises. His sister has always been special to him, and he would never miss her eighteenth birthday. “But hopefully I’ll see you sooner.” With a last look at his family, a smile and a wave as he keeps it together so his mother won’t worry, he hops into the wagon with the other apprentices who have been designated for pleasure trainings. Once everyone in all the wagons are aboard, the caravan starts out, nearly the whole town lining the street to see them off.  

     Wonshik relaxes when they’re out of sight. It’s not so bad out here, at least. His worries seem farther away in the warmth of the late spring air and the sun, with just the other apprentices for company. There are pillows and cushions in the wagon, far more comfortable than hopping any other cart would normally be. As everyone begins to talk amongst themselves, Wonshik is relieved to find he knows several people. One of the girls he know, Sunyoung, scoots over to him.

     “Well you look happy,” he laughs. She just beams at him.

     “I am. I’m going to the capital, to be a dancer! I’m going to have the best training and the best options of any other dancer. Maybe I’ll even get to serve at the palace!” Wonshik grins at her enthusiasm, because it’s hard not to.

     “Mmmm, of course you end up as an erotic dancer. I’d be shocked with anything else.”  
  
     “With a possible specialty in massage,” she adds. Wonshik relaxes against the back of the wagon a little more.

     “You’ll do well with that. And I’m certain you’ll be popular as soon as you get there,” Wonwhik says with a smile.

     “Still a flirt, I see,” she replies playfully.

     “I’m just charming!” Wonshik protests as she laughs.

     “I was….surprised, though,” Sunyoung says softly, watching Wonshik’s expression carefully. “When I heard about you.” Wonshik makes a face.

     “So was I,” he mutters. Sunyoung nods in understanding. 

     “How do you feel about it?” she asks. Wonshik grimaces and lowers his voice a little.

     “I….don’t like it,” he admits. “I thought I’d be a dominant of some sort. Or at least an alpha if I was some kind of pet. Not...this.”

     “Aren’t there, I don’t know studs? Stallions? Whatever they’re called, though?” Sunyoung asks. Wonshik shrugs. 

     “I guess so. But, I don’t know, even then they’re still… It’s just different,” he sighs. Sunyoung squeezes his shoulder sympathetically. “I thought about rejecting it,” he admits. Sunyoung’s eyes widen, but she just nods, waiting for him to go on. “But when I thought about it, it’s like I couldn’t breath. It didn’t hurt exactly, it just felt like my chest suddenly got…hollow, I guess. It was weird."  Sunyoung nods again, her expression softening.

      “Do you think that’s the call, that they all talk about?”

      Wonshik sighs.

     “I imagine it is. And this is….all I wanted to do. It’s what I knew I wanted for a couple years now, so it’s hard to walk away. But I feel like I don’t know who I am now that this has happened.” Sunyoung frowns and leans her head on his shoulder.

     “But you’re still going to try?” Wonshik licks his lips, swallows.

     “Y-yeah. For the first year. There’s always that, right? There’s at least one point in the future where I can turn around, say it really must have been a mistake.” She nods. Quiet settles over them for a moment. 

     “I’ve heard that apprentices have almost no free time,” she says eventually. “But, if you ever do, you have to come visit me, okay?” Wonshik feels a rush of gratitude towards her. They’ve never been close, but Sunyoung has always been sweet and understanding. Wonshik appreciates it a lot more than usual right now. 

     “I will. Though, you might have to visit me. For all I know I’ll be tied up somewhere,” he snorts, and it manages to lighten the mood again.

     “I’ll be sure to bring treats if that’s the case,” Sunyoung jokes, and Wonshik scowls playfully at her.

     “I think perhaps you’re going to have too much fun with this.”

     Their caravan moves more slowly than normal, laden with so many people as it is, so it takes them nearly four days to reach the capital. He and Sunyoung have good talks over that time, and she even confides that she’s worried her skills won’t measure up when compared to people who grew up in the capital. It puts Wonshik more at ease that he’s not the only one nervous, even among those who got the assignment of their dreams. The trip is actually quite fun as well. It’s like being in a troupe again, spending four days just amusing himself with others his age, talking and singing and showing off their talents around the fires when they stop for the night. Some people get in a few last moments together, or have some fun before they’ll all have to focus on their new lives. Wonshik forgets just what he’s slowly being driven to for a while.

     The sun is sinking towards the horizon when they arrive, all of the townspeople peeking out of their shops and houses as the caravan pulls into the square. Wonshik has to admit that even after his travels, the capital is still impressive. There’s nothing quite like it. Everyone slowly dismounts, and it’s definitely low grade chaos as they mill around, trainers and masters shouting to identify themselves so they can gather their charges.

     He and Sunyoung embrace. He’s sorry to see her go, feeling bonded to her in a new way after this.

     “If you ever do manage to look for me, you might need my stage name,” she tells him.

     “You already have one picked out?” he laughs. 

     “Luna,” she tells him with a serene smile. He returns it.

     “It’s perfect. I don’t know if I’ll have one but I suppose you can always go with-“ He makes a ridiculous neighing sound. Sunyoung doubles over she ends up laughing so hard. When she straightens up, she holds eye contact with him for a moment, before kissing his cheek.

     “We’re going to be okay,” she murmurs. Wonshik’s got another lump in his throat, damn it. He squeezes Sunyoung’s hand. 

     “I’ll see you,” he murmurs.

      “You better.” They part, fingers lingering until they’re too far apart. 

     Then Wonshik is on his own.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This chapter is brought to you by Wonshik's Self-Loathing.  
> *Wonshik's sister's name is just one I chose from a list.  
> *Long chapter is long and full of exposition, and I really wanted to get to Jaehwan before I ended this chapter, but the word count of the whole thing was going to top out between 5,000-6,000, so I decided to just break it in two. Jaehwan will definitely be appearing next chapter, though, and we'll finally get to some of the fun stuff.


	3. You Can Lead A Horse To Water, But You Can't Make It Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fucking right he deserves a sugar cube for that bullshit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Notice: This chapter will contain a scene regarding enemas. There will be absolutely no detail included about the after effects of said procedure. If anyone would like to read the chapter but not that scene, it occurs at the end of the chapter, and it is obvious when the scene begins.

     After craning his neck and wandering a bit, Wonshik can hear shouting for all pet apprentices to meet in a corner of the square. It’s still a huge crowd, and the people sent to fetch them go about separating all of them by their general animal assignments. Somehow, finally, everyone in the square is in their correct group. Their guides look tired already, but they all still have to reach their new quarters.

     “Sorry, everyone, we’ve got a bit of a walk,” their guide calls to them. “Just stick together and follow the carrot!” Wonshik stares. The fresh-faced man with a big smile does indeed have an enormous carrot that he raises in the air so those at the back can see him. Wonshik laughs so he won’t cry because this is just absurd and he can’t tell if this man is serious or self-deprecating. 

     It is nice to walk for a while after being cooped up all day for several half a week. While other groups head deeper into the city, the pony apprentices walk through thinning buildings, toward the edge of the capital. Greenery begins to peek through here and there, and they arrive at a large compound within the city walls. It’s like a small farm but right now no one seems to be outside, perhaps because it’s nearly time for dinner. Slowly, other groups are brought to join them, all apprentices from the other towns that had their Appraisals recently. When their full “class” is all gathered together, a man approaches from below the slight hill they’re on, from the direction of what look to be stables. The man is looks to be about thirty, classically handsome with a kind smile.

     “Welcome, everyone. This is the pony training compound. My name is Jung Yunho, and I am one of your head trainers. Tomorrow is the start of your new vocation. For tonight, you will stay at the inns nearby. Enjoy the food, the drinks, and the beds. You won’t be seeing mattresses or alcohol in particular for quite a long time after this.” Everyone glances at each other nervously at that, even those excited to be here. 

     “Not to worry, you’ll be well taken care of here. And soon what’s required of you will seem normal in time. But please, enjoy yourselves tonight and sleep well. We look forward to seeing you in the morning.”

    Yunho dismisses them, and the guides tell each group which inn they’ll be staying at before the large herd of young people wanders away dazedly, splintering off to their assigned buildings. Wonshik puts his stuff in the assigned room, and heads straight downstairs to eat and take full advantage of the alcohol while he can. Nearly everyone else does the same, staying up late into the night. Wonshik doesn’t get to know anyone particularly well, but that wasn’t what this night was for anyway. A few hours after sunrise the next day their guides arrive to collect everyone again.

     They’re all given a tour of the grounds and it looks almost exactly like a horse farm. There are larger than normal stables, pastures, training rings, and even a small mock showground. They’re told that the stables are where they’ll be sleeping from now on, girls in one, boys in another, and anyone otherwise identified who doesn’t feel comfortable in the first two in a third. Wonshik’s mouth has gone dry again, and they catch a few glimpses of older ponies being brought out to start their days, straps and buckles everywhere on their bodies. Wonshik’s stomach twists again 

     After introductions to the main trainers and heads of the school, their day begins. For the first hours, they all sit in the one odd building on the grounds that looks out of place, which is actually a schoolroom. Wonshik’s head is spinning as their teachers go over the different parts of biological horses, and how those terms are applied to pleasure ponies, the basic tack they’ll be wearing, and the different types of jobs they’ll perform. They break for lunch, and then there are more health checks as well as physical tests to measure their endurance, strength, and speed, which will allow the trainers to assess what they’ll be suited to, as well as draw up training plans for each individual. 

     Wonshik is wary, but right now he feels fairly okay with this. Up until now, though, they’ve all been together, being addressed as a large group in general, guided around by junior trainers while the head trainers take notes and explain what’s going to be happening. There's something to be said for safety in numbers.  When the physical tests end, they’re treated to dinner before it’s time for them to split up and be brought to their new quarters. Their trainers announce all the ponies will also be bathed tonight. Wonshik doesn’t know what that entails, but it seems like more than a normal bath. 

     First, however, they’re split up into their groups and brought to the stables that will be their new home. They’re each assigned a particular stall that will be theirs while they’re here, filled with straw and wood shavings. Do they really have to sleep here?  Wonshik eyes the set up skeptically.  Yunho has shown their group in, and anticipates some of their questions.

    “We keep plants in here that are unpleasant to bugs and mites.” He points at the tops of the stalls. “And we have repellant charms in each stall as well. There shouldn’t be any insects bothering you as you sleep or making homes in your bedding.” He shows them large bathing chambers at either end of the stables before wishing them goodnight. The younger trainers then take charge. Each new pony is required to take off their clothes and hand them over. They’ll be kept by the school until the ponies have need of them for breaks or days off. Then they’re left to talk, free to roam outside their stalls until it’s their turn to be bathed.

     Wonshik sits on the floor near his stall, covering himself as best he can, arms crossed over his chest. He listens to the others chatter, only somewhat interested. He doesn’t have much to contribute to the conversations at the moment, but he joins in as they speculate what tomorrow will hold in terms of training. It passes the time until he’s called, and he gets up with a sigh, following the young trainer who fetches him towards one of the bathing chambers at the end of the hall. He stops at the threshold for just a moment before stepping in and stares. There are a lot of people in here for this. 

    There are no large tubs here, just an expansive room tiled in blue with sponges and buckets and brushes, as well as hoses attached to taps in the wall. They have Wonshik stand in the middle and rinse him down with warm water first, but before they move on, the people bathing him start preparing something else. Wonshik’s brow furrows as they all move about without paying him any mind, not explaining what’s going on.

     “What are you doing?” he asks sharply as a boy who looks younger than he is approaches him with something in hand. The boy stops, glancing at the others around him, flustered. Apparently he wasn’t expecting Wonshik to question him. Wonshik crosses his arms over his chest and stares the poor junior trainer down, waiting. The boy stammers, unable to look at him. 

    “We have to give you an enema,” calls one of the others, and Wonshik’s head whips around to look at the smirking boy. One of the girls hisses at him to shut up.

     “The fuck you are,” Wonshik says immediately, standing taller. “Not happening.”

     “Now, please don’t panic-“ someone starts to say, before they’re cut off.

     “You don’t get a choice,” sneers the same guy from before, striding forward like he’s going to grab Wonshik. Wonshik grabs the boy’s arm as soon as he reaches for him, twisting hard and stepping around him.

     “Back off,” he snarls, though he feels others approaching, some of them trying to soothe him, others trying to sound commanding. He shoves the first one away and lashes out at the others, keeping them all at bay. Some are rougher as they grab at him, trying to get him under control, and Wonshik doesn’t hesitate to swing, even as he has to back up because there are too many of them. There’s a lot of noise and fuss, and Wonshik ends up with his back to a wall, though no one can get close to him. 

     “All of you stop it!” shouts one girl. “Leave him alone, this is ridiculous. I already sent someone to get Jaehwan. You’re just making things worse.” She pushes her way to the front and stays there, glaring at anyone who looks like they’re moving towards him 

     “Someone needs help?” The young handlers spring back at the voice, revealing a very pretty young man at the entrance to the room, who walks in with an air of collected confidence none of the apprentices can manage.

     “Wonshik spooked when _someone_ told him what was coming up first, rather tactlessly,” the girl who had stopped everyone informs the newcomer, glaring at the boy from before. The new trainer glances at everyone and then nods.

     “Thank you, Hyuna. I’ll be speaking to Yunho about how this was handled, by all of you. I don’t think letting only apprentices do this on your own was a wise choice. Stay here, and don’t move, all of you.” Then the man turns his attention to Wonshik.

     “Hey there, big guy,” the stable hand, Jaehwan apparently, murmurs to him. He approaches Wonshik where the young man is pressed up against the wall, eyes wild. Jaehwan holds out a hand before him, palm upturned as though in offering. “What a pretty boy you are. So handsome,” Jaehwan keeps saying in a soothing tone as he gets closer to the skittish Wonshik.  Wonshik tries to move to one side or the other, but the handlers from before are scattered around the area, blocking the door, and Jaehwan is gently boxing him in. 

     “That’s it. Good boy,” Jaehwan breathes, his eyes soft and holding Wonshik’s gaze as he comes closer and delicately lays a hand on the side of Wonshik’s neck. “There we go. Did the big, clumsy apprentices scare you?” Jaehwan coos to him. Wonshik’s eyes narrow. This guy’s talking to him like he’s a frightened animal, which is probably the point, but he is not putting up with it, shaking the hand off. Wonshik decides to make a break for it, pushing past Jaehwan, but the handler wraps his arms around Wonshik and braces himself, pinning Wonshik’s arms to his side as the other struggles. Wonshik discovers that Jaehwan is stronger than he looks.

     The scuffle goes on for a couple minutes before Wonshik takes a step back to catch his breath. He’s expecting Jaehwan to look cross, or even to be reprimanded or punished for his behavior, but Jaehwan still looks totally calm. He even smiles at Wonshik, who glares. 

     “It’s not a pleasant task, I know,” Jaehwan says, apparently trying to soothe him again. “But everyone has to have it done. We need to get you completely clean.” Wonshik’s expression is hard, but he glances around the room again. He could always walk out. A chill goes up his spine at the thought, however. His pride is what’s making the idea of this so awful, but leaving his vocation before the first day’s even done…that idea repulses him, too, and would wound his pride even more. He looks back at Jaehwan, who’s approaching him slowly again, probably able to see the hesitation in Wonshik’s expression. He’s trying to break down Wonshik’s resistance, he knows that, but it’s true that he can’t just stand here all night. He can only move on or leave, and he won’t leave. But to move on he has to submit to having something so incredibly humiliating done to him. 

     Jaehwan is closer now. Wonshik has come to his decision but he finds he can’t say it out loud. Their eyes meet.

     “It won’t hurt,” Jaehwan promises him in a gentle voice. “No one here will hurt you.” Wonshik wasn’t really worried about that, but the reassurance and the way Jaehwan says it as if he’s appealing to regular Wonshik rather than to a pony seems to erode the last of his resistance anyway. Wonshik’s shoulders drop and he wilts a little as he nods. Jaehwan lays a hand on his neck again, stroking it slowly. “Good boy, Wonshik. I’ll stay here if you want. I can do the whole thing, everyone else will just be here to help.” 

     Wonshik can feel his cheeks burning, either from how nice Jaehwan’s praise feels and the way he’s back to treating Wonshik like a skittish horse or from the knowledge that this attractive, kind man and others are going to witness all of this. He nods again, though. Even though he doesn’t know anyone that well, he feels more comfortable with this new trainer than the others who had been of no help, so he nods again. Jaehwan smiles at him and Wonshik is almost taken enough to smile back. Almost.

     “All right, back we go,” Jaehwan murmurs, moving to Wonshik’s side and moving his hand to the back of Wonshik’s neck, walking him back to the center of the tiled chamber. His thumb rubs at the base of Wonshik’s neck in circular motions as Jaehwan asks the others to bring him a few different things. Wonshik doesn’t hear what they are, allowing himself to unfocus a little bit. It will be easier if he tries not to be so attuned to what’s happening. He turns his attention instead to amusing himself with the expressions of the junior handlers, how they give him wary glances like he might bite them. Maybe he should, just to get back at them a little for their lack of sensitivity earlier. 

     A firm arm slipping around his hips grounds Wonshik again. He blinks and looks over his shoulder, spotting Jaehwan’s smile once more. The man is standing to his side, one arm holding Wonshik in place.

     “I need to open you up first,” Jaehwan explains, still gentle but frank. It’s a good balance. Wonshik now notices Jaehwan’s free hand glistens a little with salve and Wonshik understands. He makes a slight face but nods.  Jaehwan beams and Wonshik huffs a little, looking forward again. “Bend forward a little…like that, good,” Jaehwan murmurs, helping Wonshik do so while staying balanced. He feels the other man’s finger press between his ass cheeks and bump gently against his rim.

     “Is this okay?” Jaehwan asks. “Can I go on?” It’s nice that he asks, at least. Wonshik nods sharply and he feels pressure. He gasps, toes curling against the slick tile floor. He forgets himself and tenses up, and the pressure retreats. “Feet apart a little,” Jaehwan instructs him, and Wonshik breathes out, complying. “Good,” Jaehwan murmurs distractedly as he presses the finger in again, and something like pleasure makes itself known in Wonshik’s groin due to those words.

     Jaehwan’s finger sinks in a little and Wonshik bites his lip, letting his head drop. This way at least the others won’t see his expression because it doesn’t feel too bad, even though it’s been more than months since Wonshik’s been on the receiving end of something like this. Jaehwan keeps up an almost constant stream of soft encouragement as he carefully slides his finger out and back in, working slowly to get Wonshik to relax and take his finger deeper on his own. It’s an odd sensation for Wonshik. His cock is stirring in interest, but Jaehwan’s manner of doing this is, well Wonshik can’t really put his finger on it exactly. It’s…friendly? Is that the right word? Professional? Whatever it is, it’s strangely nonsexual. His cock twitches a little as he thinks about Jaehwan’s apparent lack of interest. He almost sighs. If Wonshik weren’t otherwise occupied, he would probably have a headache from all of this. 

     He jerks in surprise when Jaehwan presses in a second slick finger, hissing when his body responds too fast for him to stop and tenses, pushing the tip of the second finger out. He mutters out a ‘sorry’ and takes a breath, relaxing again. He makes a face at the floor as Jaehwan’s fingers press back in up to the first knuckle. God, he’s using a lot of salve. Wonshik should probably be thankful for that, but the squelching noises it’s making are kind of obscene and everyone is still staring at them. Jaehwan is saying something that sounds different than all his murmurings now, so Wonshik tunes back in.

     “-won’t be this wide, but it’s better for you to be over prepared.” Oh. Gods above- “Stop resisting it,” Jaehwan sighs at him. The second finger is proving to be a lot trickier than the first and Jaehwan is patient but he’s really getting nowhere. 

     “ ‘m not,” Wonshik growls, as Jaehwan bends him over a little more. He may say that but he can feel the muscles in his legs already starting to ache, and his fists are clenched. He can physically relax, but mentally he just can’t quite step over that ledge yet.   Jaehwan removes both fingers and adds more salve. Wonshik glares over his shoulder at him. Jaehwan ignores the angry look and Wonshik goes back to glaring at the floor. Time moves agonizingly slow now and Jaehwan makes only very incremental progress. Wonshik’s cock is still somewhat interested in these goings on, which is infuriating to him. Jaehwan straightens up for a moment and shakes his wrist out as he takes a breath, still holding Wonshik in place. He gives them both a moment. 

     “I’m going to take care of you,” he says so only Wonshik can hear when he goes back to trying. Wonshik blinks in surprise at the sound of his voice. Jaehwan must pick up on it. “It’s okay.” Jaehwan pushes his fingers in one last time and Wonshik gives in to that stupid, soft voice and the reassuring grip around his waist. He sags a little in Jaehwan’s arms and strangles a groan in his throat as both fingers finally sink deep in one smooth slide. Jaehwan actually lets out a little “oh” when it happens. Looks like Wonshik finally caught him by surprise. 

     “Good! That’s good, Wonshik,” Jaehwan exclaims, and the brightness is back in his voice. If it wouldn’t be the most embarrassing way to die ever, Wonshik would love for one of the gods to strike him dead right now when he hears that effusive voice praising him. Why him. Forget about the whole pony fiasco in the first place, how did he end up with the most insufferably bubbly stable hand to ever exist?  It's definitely rubbing salt in this particular wound. 

     Jaehwan is pumping his fingers in long smooth strokes now, making sure Wonshik can take them easily. Once he’s finally satisfied at last, he straightens up and brings Wonshik with him. Wonshik’s nose wrinkles at the feeling of all the salve in his ass right now. Jaehwan wipes his hand clean on a rag, one hand still always on Wonshik’s hip or side as the other handlers bring over more supplies.

     “Make sure the water is warm,” Jaehwan says, emphasizing the final word. Wonshik catches a glimpse of some kind of bag made from an animal bladder or something. There’s some sort of bulb attached, a tube of some kind that goes to a wooden cylinder, and a metal tip. He closes his eyes and forces the whimper in his throat back down. Jaehwan is focused on the others at the moment, keeping a careful eye on the preparations. Finally someone brings the full bag over and Wonshik sees Jaehwan applying a liberal layer of balm to it. His breathing picks up. Jaehwan spends plenty of time on lubing the tip, then moves back into position behind Wonshik. One of the others holds the bag as Jaehwan holds the end with the tip upwards. He squeezes Wonshik’s hip.

     “Sorry, still going to be a little cold,” he murmurs, and Wonshik feels it against his skin. There’s some pressure, and he can’t help it, he clenches as hard as he can. Jaehwan backs off and tries again. Maybe a centimeter of the tip breaches and Wonshik’s knees go weak. He makes a noise and starts shaking his head, and Jaehwan catches him when Wonshik’s knees look like they’re about to give out.

     “Hey, hey, it’s okay, big guy, it’s okay. You want to lay down? Yeah?” Wonshik does whimper this time and nods. Jaehwan coos to him, sinking to his knees as he helps Wonshik lower himself to the floor. 

     “But, uh, they told us to try and keep them standing if possible,” one stable hand ventures, eyeing the two. Wonshik doesn’t see how fast Jaehwan’s eyes fly up to the boy’s, or the way his gaze doesn’t match the friendly tone of his voice.

     “Yes, if possible. Clearly, it’s not possible here.”

     “But, they said-” another person begins. 

     “I’m saying he gets to lay down,” Jaehwan replies, his voice still friendly but his tone final. Wonshik shivers a little. The floor still has water on it, and it’s a bit cold, but Jaehwan is kneeling there with him as though he doesn’t notice. Wonshik realizes his head is on Jaehwan’s lap, and there are fingers in his hair scratching his scalp. He looks up and sees Jaehwan smiling. 

     “Can you roll to your side for me, Wonshik? It’s going to be easier that way." Wonshik averts his eyes and nods. Jaehwan helps him readjust so he’s laying on his side, Jaehwan’s hand rubbing up and down his skin. “Good boy.” Wonshik closes his eyes. Jaehwan doesn’t make another move yet, still petting Wonshik as he addresses the others around him. 

     “This is a gift, what people like Wonshik give us,” Jaehwan says. “They are putting their total trust in us despite the fact that they don’t know us. You have to understand that they are allowing themselves to depend on us to take care of them. That is why you have to be patient, even if you think that someone is being a pain. You can’t assume anything. Even those with experience may be scared in situations like this. The eager ones, too, they'll often try to push themselves too far because they’re too excited or they want to please you. Everyone is different, but we have a responsibility to them. If you aren’t able to stay compassionate and keep your cool, or if you have cannot, or will not, treat their submission reverently and with respect, then a dominant position of any kind is not for you.”

     The rhythm of the hand on his side has relaxed Wonshik slightly. Jaehwan makes no move from under him after he finishes his speech. 

     “Are you okay to move on?” he asks, addressing Wonshik again. Wonshik swallows, and nods. “Okay. I’m going to stay right here, so I need a few hands to help. Any volunteers?” Jaehwan narrows his eyes suspiciously as the one apprentice who had been rough with Wonshik shoots his hand up. Far too eager about this particular task, and smug looking to boot, not a good sign at all. He'll be speaking to Yunho about that one. Hyuna steps forward confidently after a moment.

     “I will.”

     “Excellent. I need one more.” A quiet girl in the back slowly raises her hand, and Jaehwan beams. “Soojung, thank you. Both of you come over here please, and prepare the equipment.” As they do that, Jaehwan reaches down and grasps Wonshik’s thigh. “I’m going to have you bring your leg up close to your chest, okay? It will make this easier.” Wonshik bites his lip before quietly assenting. He turns his burning face into Jaehwan’s leg as the other draws his leg up, completely exposing Wonshik to everyone watching. His not quite soft cock starts rising again, to his frustration and embarrassment. 

     “All right, so Hyuna, you have the main part. Kneel down in front of him, yes, there,” Jaehwan instructs. “Good. And yes, hold the rest up like that, Soojung. Okay, now, put plenty of the lubricant on it. And you can go ahead, very slowly.” Wonshik’s hand comes up to grip Jaehwan’s knee as the metal tip slides in much more smoothly this time.

     “And…stop, yes, right there. Most of the time you just want to go up to that groove, you see? Yes, stay right there until the end. Soojung, you can start slowly squeezing…yes, good. Keep the pace nice and even like that.” Wonshik groans unhappily at the sensation of the water flooding in, and Jaehwan’s fingers slip into his hair, massaging his scalp. Pressure builds in his abdomen, and Jaehwan keeps an eye on the proceedings, continually crooning to Wonshik.

     “I know, I know. You’re being so brave, yes, so, so brave. Keep breathing, in and out, in and out. You’re almost there.” Wonshik feels bloated by the time the girls stop, murmuring to Jaehwan. 

     “Is that all of it?” Jaehwan asks, Wonshik still gripping his breeches tightly and hiding his face against Jaehwan’s leg. Wonshik nods when asked if he can’t feel anything else from the syringe. “All right, wait a moment.” First, Jaehwan carefully lowers Wonshik’s leg back down so he can rest more easily. “Don’t take it out yet.” Wonshik is trembling on the floor, whimpering from the cramps. Jaehwan reaches down and carefully rubs Wonshik’s stomach through the pain. Only when that seems to subside does Jaehwan nod at the girls.

     “We’re going to take it out now, okay, Wonshik? Get ready.” The girls very slowly remove the syringe and then scurry off with it so it can be cleaned. Wonshik groans in discomfort, and Jaehwan goes back to massaging his stomach gently. “That’s it, you’re doing so well. We’re almost done, you’re being so good for us. Let me know when it doesn’t hurt so much.” After a moment, Wonshik releases his death grip on Jaehwan’s knee and grunts a little, about all he can manage in his current state.

     “Okay. We’re going to get you up on your feet now.” Wonshik shakes his head immediately, and Jaehwan rubs his neck. “You can do it, I know you can. It’s almost over, this is the very last part.” Despite Wonshik’s hesitation, Jaehwan disentangles himself, motioning over two of the stronger assistants. “Each of you take his arms. I’ll be behind him, just get him up, carefully.” They each grasp Wonshik under an arm, and Jaehwan carefully puts his hands on Wonshik’s waist. Together they manage to get Wonshik up even as the young man makes panicked noises. He’s breathing fast, eyes wide when Jaehwan slips in front of him. He’s shaking a little bit, and Jaehwan grabs his arms.

     “That’s it, that’s it! See, you did it! You were so brave. Now you just need to follow me, okay Wonshikkie? Yes, just like that, take it slow. I’m right here, eyes on me.” Jaehwan walks backwards towards a screened off section of the chamber. Wonshik mostly concentrates on Jaehwan’s eye contact, and the pressure in his abdomen, so he misses any detail of it. 

     “All of you have tasks to take care of, don’t you? Clean up and get the grooming supplies out!” Jaehwan calls to the others, about as close to barking orders as he’s come so far. The younger handlers suddenly become a flurry of oddly noisy activity. Wonshik has no awareness of anything else except Jaehwan and his own body, taking shaky steps one by one until they’re in the partitioned space, letting himself be guided to a particular spot. Jaehwan stands in front of him, an arm’s length away and still gripping Wonshik’s biceps firmly. His breathing continues to quicken, and his eyes must be huge by now.

     “Breathe, big guy, breathe. Yes, in and out. Just hold onto me, I’ve got you. I’ve got you. It’s okay, Wonshik,” Jaehwan says, voice getting softer, more delicate. “It’s all going to be okay. Good. You’re where you need to be. Deep breaths.” Jaehwan pauses for a moment, watching him carefully.

     “Now…let go, Wonshik. Just let go.”

     Wonshik closes his eyes and sobs.

~

     When Wonshik becomes aware of his surroundings again, there are fingers massaging his scalp as others are scrubbing his body with brushes. Apparently he’d retreated into himself, perhaps his subconscious choosing not to commit the past five or ten minutes to memory. He was back in the middle of the chamber, though, warm mist all around him from the bathing. The person washing his hair comes around to the front to get another angle.

     “Ah, there you are. Back with us again?” It’s Jaehwan. Wonshik just blinks at the smiling man. He has no energy to respond. Someone is rubbing some kind of salve over his legs and under his arms. It tingles oddly but Wonshik doesn’t even feel alarmed at this point. They can do whatever they want so long as they make it fast. He just wants to go back to his stall now. Jaehwan is humming under his breath as he works. He's still annoying. The scrubbing stops after a few more minutes and buckets of warm water are poured over him, rinsing him clean, and, as he’ll notice later on, taking his body hair with it.

        Jaehwan is crooning to him again, and Wonshik just stops listening, standing patiently as soft cloths are used to wipe him down, someone combing his hair after using a towel to dry that, too.  His eyelids lower at the soothing treatment and he hears Jaehwan chuckle near his ear.

     “All done, look what a handsome boy you are now. Let’s get you back to your stall, hm?” That warm hand is at the back of his neck, guiding him, and Wonshik finds his legs are a little steadier now. Jaehwan latches the door to his stall and then beams at him. Wonshik stares at him blankly as the handler fishes around in a bag at his side and pulls out a sugar cube. “You did well, you deserve a treat.” Wonshik stares at the offered hand, completely unimpressed. Jaehwan just chuckles again and places it on the top of the stall door. “I’ll leave it here, then. Sleep well, big guy.”

     Wonshik continues to maintain his apathetic stare until Jaehwan turns away, and he makes sure the other is all the way out of sight before he grabs the sugar cube off the door and stuffs it in his mouth with a huff. _Fucking right he deserves a goddamn sugar cube for that bullshit._ He does enjoy the satisfying crunch, turning to survey his new “room” as he chews a mint leaf afterwards. He wrinkles his nose again. How is he going to sleep on uncovered straw and sawdust? It’s so scratchy and unpleasant, but he has no other choice. He decides to shove a bunch of it up in one corner like a nest and he does his best to burrow into it once he’s laying down.

     Despite the early hour, midnight still a ways off, Wonshik soon finds his eyes closing. The bedding is warmer than he imagined, too, retaining his body heat well. It’s not quite so bad, perhaps…

     Within minutes he’s sound asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I probably just traumatized a bunch of you, here are some hilarious facts about enemas I learned this week (I was researching if it would be historically feasible for enemas to appear in a medieval time period):
> 
> -Enemas first get referenced in Egyptian times. It was actually possible to specialize as an Egyptian doctor in just giving enemas.  
> -Apparently, pharaohs had a Keeper of the Royal Rectum. I...yeah. Wow.  
> -There are a lot of paintings of people giving other people enemas. So...so many, from just about every era.
> 
> In short, humans are strange.
> 
> I will now be switching to updating on a weekly schedule, most likely on Tuesdays. Should I be particularly prolific one week, I may update again on a Friday or Saturday. I would also love suggestions on who the asshole handler should be! The rest of VIXX will already be showing up, but pretty much anyone outside of them (who is over 18) is fair game.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has been leaving kudos and comments. Even just seeing how many people are reading makes me really happy and motivated to continue.


	4. Get Off Your High Horse Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You better watch your fucking mouth, you brat."

     When movement and voices outside his stall finally wake Wonshik early the next morning, he feels like he should be tired. The sun has definitely only risen an hour ago at most. He grumbles to himself and burrows back down into his bedding, closing his eyes with a scowl as he starts to remember last night. He finds, however, that he can’t get back to sleep and that he isn’t actually all that groggy. Apparently a few extra hours of sleep really can do wonders. He stays like that, though, keeping his eyes closed until one pair of footsteps stop outside his stall and there’s an odd noise. Wonshik opens his eyes quickly enough in curiosity that it betrays the illusion he was really sleeping. 

     It’s the quiet girl from yesterday, Soojung, and she gives him a shy smile when she meets his gaze.

     “It’s breakfast,” she says, and Wonshik looks to the pail in her hands. Soojung is pouring something into a small feed trough that’s attached to the outside of his door. He wrinkles his nose immediately. _Are these people serious?_ Soojung covers her widening smile apologetically.

   “Lunch and dinner are the normal way today, if that helps,” she whispers to him before scurrying off to continue her task, as though she revealed some incredibly taboo piece of information. Wonshik finds an unwilling smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He highly doubts that that piece of information needed to be kept secret, but her reaction was cute. She seems like a sweet kid. Wonshik contemplates not giving her as hard a time as everyone else as he stretches and heaves a sigh, looking over at his door. He is hungry.

     He stays in bed and grumbles quietly to himself for a bit, listening to the junior handlers walking around and setting up for the day, the soft noises of others starting to stir coming through the walls. It seems like he’s one of the first awake thanks to his early night and so he soon finds himself getting to his feet and stretching with a groan before he plods over to his door to examine “breakfast." 

     He can see steam rising from it, and the food looks to be fresh oatmeal or some other kind of mash with nuts and berries in it, and it does smell rather appetizing. It may be late spring, but the morning can still be damp and chilly, so the hot food is actually somewhat welcome. Wonshik is frowning again, however, when he realizes that he has no utensils. Using his hands would be messy and inefficient anyway, so clearly he’s meant to just stick his face in it like an animal. Once again, he finds himself realizing, that’s probably the point. Wonshik’s scowl deepens and he looks up when he hears soft snickering from his left. He looks over and glares at the boy next to him, surprised to see he’s actually a little taller than Wonshik. 

     “What?” he snaps, in no mood to be teased, especially after last night.

     “The look on your face,” his neighbor, who definitely looks younger than him, says. “It’s so funny.” 

     “Did I ask for your opinion?” he snarls. “Shut up and go back to your food,” he mutters, and the boy stifles a little more laughter before diving into the food without blinking. He seems to find the struggle of figuring out how to eat like this fun. Wonshik wrinkles his nose. Weird kid.

     Wonshik turns back to his trough and huffs softly to himself, making sure to keep the volume down because he doesn’t want any more comments from his neighbor right now.

     The trough has an indent to make it easier for them to reach everything in it, and to rest their chin if there’s too much strain on their neck. Wonshik decides to just lean down first, awkwardly trying to angle his head to get food into his mouth without smearing it all over his face. He isn’t very successful, but the oatmeal is tasty and Wonshik does his best to stay clean as he eats heartily. He forgets to care as much about how he looks the more he eats, until he surfaces when the trough is empty and realizes there’s food on his face and he can only lick so much off.

     There’s a smaller trough right next to the other one, filled with fresh water, but Wonshik doesn’t want food pieces floating around in it if he tries to take a drink, so he does his best to wipe his face on the sides of the empty food trough. It doesn’t work as well as he’d hoped, and he can hear snickering to his left again when a large hand cups his chin gently and lifts his head up.

     “Careful, there, you’ll scratch yourself up like that,” comes a deep chuckle, and Wonshik jerks away a little instinctively, but the grip is firm and he doesn’t actually get anywhere. “We were just going to hang these in your stalls.” Wonshik glances up to find the head trainer from the other day, Yunho, in front of him, and a towel is gently rubbed over his lips and chin and cheeks, cleaning him up. Yunho then hangs the towel to Wonshik’s right on the inside of his stall. “I’ll be right back,” Yunho tells him, eyes crinkled up at the corners as he ruffles Wonshik’s hair and continues delivering towels to the slowly waking stable.

     Yunho is back at Wonshik’s stall before the younger man can even wonder why Yunho said he was going to return. Yunho has a small wooden box in his hands and a small stool. He lets himself into the stall and sets them down, pulling a soft cloth out of the box. Wonshik watches him, a little wary, but mostly curious. Yunho doesn’t make him nervous the same way the apprentices had last night. He still doesn’t know what’s going on, but if he can’t at least trust the head trainer, then he’s pretty screwed for the next year of his life.

     Yunho first cups Wonshik’s cheek, though, his thumb rubbing over Wonshik’s cheekbone. When Wonshik meets his eyes, the warmth in them is actually overwhelming, and Wonshik has to glance away.

     “I heard you had a rough night,” Yunho says conversationally, now stroking Wonshik’s cheek with the back of his hand, as though they do this all the time. “I wanted to come check on you myself.” Yunho starts moving again, taking the soft cloth and gently swiping it over Wonshik’s cheeks and over his neck. He runs it over Wonshik’s shoulders, too, and down his arms and chest. Wonshik looks down at himself for a second, and just now notices the dust and pieces of straw clinging to his skin in places, which Yunho is now busily dusting away. 

     “It was a mistake to let the junior handlers do the baths themselves,” Yunho sighs softly as he works, starting to sound like he’s talking to himself more than to Wonshik. “We’ve done it before with very minimal supervision, but…well, every class is different. It was my fault for not remembering that and assuming they would be fine.” Yunho is rubbing the cloth over his back now, and his strong, sure hands have lulled Wonshik into a slight trance. He doesn’t even realize his mind is drifting and he’s smiling a little until Yunho is back in front of him, holding his gaze again.

     “I wanted to apologize, Wonshik,” Yunho tells him softly, a smaller smile on his lips now. “I’m sorry that my oversight caused you distress. How are you feeling?” Wonshik is shocked. Yunho’s expression is earnest and genuine, and of course the apology is logical and even appreciated…Wonshik just hadn’t even felt he needed one from Yunho. So he finds his face getting warm as he stutters a little, unsure how to accept an apology he hadn’t even hoped for, but feeling gratified all the same.

     “Th…thanks. I’m all right today,” he finally manages to mutter at the floor.

     “I’m glad to hear that,” Yunho replies, smile growing fond at Wonshik’s bashfulness. He’s finished rubbing Wonshik down now, and he starts humming to himself as he takes out a soft-bristled brush and runs it through Wonshik’s hair. Wonshik chews on some mint and lamb’s ear since he’s eaten already while Yunho works, and when Yunho finishes with his hair he assumes the grooming is over for now, seeing other handlers of different levels working on the other fledgling ponies who have finished eating. But Yunho goes back into the box and moves behind Wonshik, hand resting on his shoulder lightly to let Wonshik know where he is.

     Wonshik is curious as to what Yunho is up to when he feels slick fingers brushing against his skin again.

     “What now?” he huffs, trying hard not to let the whine in his voice get too noticeable. Yunho muffles his own laughter, and Wonshik knows the man is grinning even if he can’t see it.

     “We need to start training all of you for your tails.” Yunho’s tone is conversational as his finger slips right in. Wonshik gasps, not expecting it, and Yunho’s large, warm palm is on his hip. His finger feels thicker than the ones that were inside him last night, and Yunho seems to be taking his time. Wonshik doesn’t know what this “training” is going to be, but whatever it is can’t be worse than last night. Now that there’s not something unpleasant looming ahead, Wonshik is starting to get affected by the fingering.  His cock takes an interest when Yunho presses his finger in up to the last knuckle, and Wonshik bites his lip against another whine. Yunho starts to slide his finger out before slowly pressing it in again, and then he wiggles the tip just a little, making tiny circles with his finger. Wonshik’s hips buck and he can’t stifle his moan this time, his toes curling against the floor of his stall.

     Yunho withdraws his finger when he’s satisfied, Wonshik panting a little and mostly hard. Wonshik thinks it’s Yunho’s finger nudging at his hole once more, with some fresh salve, but when it slides in, he realizes it’s something new. He squirms, looking over his shoulder to see what Yunho is up to.

     “It’s called a plug, you probably can’t see it,” Yunho tells him when he catches Wonshik peeking. Wonshik yelps a little as it presses deeper; the material, whatever it is, is slightly cool to the touch. It’s firm, but it doesn’t feel like wood, and it’s about the size of Yunho’s finger. Wonshik gives a shudder when the thing widens, and it feels like maybe he can’t take it, and then it practically pops into place, his body clenching down on the suddenly narrow neck. Wonshik feels Yunho let go of it, but the plug stays in by itself.

     “Some alchemists created the material several decades ago. No one really sees it except for those in the pleasure trades, and mostly those in the pet vocations. Alchemy is expensive, after all. They made us a material we can clean, that’s soft enough to put inside someone, but can still stay firm and hold a shape without using metal or wood. Who knows what else you could do with it.” Wonshik glances over his shoulder again, even though he can’t see it. 

     “We’ll show you when we take it out,” Yunho chuckles. “A couple hours from now.” Wonshik gapes at him. Yunho looks a little smug. He’s definitely enjoying Wonshik's expressiveness. 

     “We put tails on the plugs, and when you’re fully trained you’ll be expected to wear them for long periods of time while you work. So you’ll keep this small one in for a little while and we’ll keep doing that until you’re used to it and can take a bigger one.” Wonshik suddenly remember the tails, the one thing he’d dreaded immediately when his vocation was announced. He can’t find anything to say, so he just stares at Yunho for a long moment and then shrugs helplessly. Yunho laughs and ruffles his hair again.

     “Good boy. You guys have class this morning, so you can put on your clothes.” Yunho stores the box he’d used in a little cubby above Wonshik’s stall, where his clothes are also kept. It must be “his” now. Putting his breeches on is a challenge, because any time he moves, so does the thing inside him. He finally manages to put his back against one of the walls, and that at least keeps him steady. He swears the plug is going to pop out each time he lifts his leg to slide his clothes on, but every time it stays still, and every time the fullness wars with the tantalizing illusion of sliding the plug out, and it keeps Wonshik embarrassingly hard. He ties his breeches only very loosely, slightly flushed from the exertion. His tunic is much easier, and he notices the noises from all around the stable as he finishes up, many others apparently experiencing the same quandary.

     His annoying neighbor is actually quiet while he’s being worked on, and it irks Wonshik that he’s able to take this strangeness and the indignity so easily. Wonshik is soon gratified, however, when they’re led to the schoolroom by all the handlers and he sees his neighbor’s lip red and raw from biting down on it.

     To be honest, Wonshik does look for the handler from last night as they walk. He sees a lot of other vaguely familiar faces from his ordeal, but not that particular one, Jaehwan. That’s odd. It seems like all the other junior trainers are here, but then again, Jaehwan had been the one they called for help, so maybe he wasn’t a rookie and didn’t have to be part of morning duties?  Wonshik is a little relieved, to be honest.  Jaehwan had been the only stable thing he could cling to last night, and Wonshik had desperately needed his gentleness, but now that Wonshik was feeling more like himself the thought of seeing Jaehwan today makes his stomach quiver uncomfortably.

     Wonshik is distracted from this train of thought when he climbs the few steps up into the schoolroom and it shifts the thing inside of him. He makes a face. Sitting down proves to be even harder, and Wonshik is at least mollified once more when the room is filled with a chorus of hisses and grunts as everyone tries to maneuver themselves into a comfortable position. They all have varying levels of success, Wonshik included. It’s going to be a long lesson.

     First they’re told about the different divisions of ponies: show ponies, carriage and cart ponies, and race ponies. Some ponies do well in all areas, and others specialize in just one. Their physical assessments and their future training will help determine which one they get recommended for. Wonshik’s mind is far away again, this time not because of the volume of information, but because of the distraction wiggling around in his ass every time he so much as crosses one leg over another. It actually makes Wonshik attempt to concentrate harder, to take his mind off this situation, but it’s a battle he’s losing pretty obviously.

     In the second part of the lesson, they talk more about submissive space, and the way their personalities as ponies may differ from their normal personas. At the end they’re given some time for a necessary project: choosing their new names. They’ll be referred to as this new name in all training situations, and eventually by their owners and breeders. Some people scribble lists on paper, others know right away, some bounce ideas off others. Wonshik finds a quiet corner and just sits, thinking of his days in the pleasure dens, trying to remember any ideas from back then.

     He eventually ends up closing his eyes, forgetting about the assignment to meander through his memories, and eventually those memories fade and he finds there’s a word in their place.

     “Ravi,” he says when asked. He likes the name, and he’s not sure how it came about, but maybe it was from his vocational gods. Maybe they really were watching over him. He didn’t have any other ideas anyway.

     He noticed when they were going through their names that the trainer from last night had slipped in. Wonshik had made sure to only address the instructor in charge when he said his new name, refusing to glance at Jaehwan because the one time he had tried to glance at the trainer he could immediately feel his face burn. When they are dismissed he thinks he sees Jaehwan approaching as Wonshik gets up, so he turns on his heel and pretends not to notice. He doesn’t want to face the man who saw his utmost humiliation and was kind to him about it in the light of day. He tries to disappear into a throng of people outside the door, and he thinks he’s succeeded in losing Jaehwan.

     Jaehwan notices Wonshik’s quick pace and he knows the new pony is avoiding him. He probably even thinks he’s being subtle about it. Jaehwan is a little disappointed because he really thought they had started to create a bond last night, but he doesn't take it too personally.  Lots of new ponies are like this at first, though they don't usually try this hard to avoid all contact with him.  Jaehwan grins to himself when the crowd thins out and he can see Wonshik, well, _Ravi,_ up ahead, his disappointment turning into a mischievous urge instead. He’s so easy to rile up, Jaehwan just wants to see that affronted expression when he teases him. And he just can’t resist it when he sees how loose Wonshik’s breeches are. They’re barely hanging on his hips as it is, so Jaehwan quickens his pace, stepping lightly so he can’t be heard and when he’s just in reach, he slips a finger into the back of Wonshik’s breeches and tugs on them just a little.

     Jaehwan is rewarded with an indignant squawk from Wonshik, whose breeches loosen enough that they drop below his bare bottom for a moment. Wonshik scrambles to catch them, tugging them up and whirling around to face Jaehwan, his face red and angry as he clutches at his breeches to keep in place. 

     “Sorry,” Jaehwan tells him with a cheeky grin, only a little bit sorry in all reality. “Couldn’t help myself. Besides, you need to take those off now anyway. I’ll help you with your plug.” Ravi sputters wordlessly for a moment and then scowls darkly.

     “Over my dead body.” His voice is a snarl and Wonshik stalks off to his stall to undress by himself. “Don’t touch me,” he hisses at Jaehwan when the other passes by. The young handler holds his hands up innocently and sidles into Sanghyuk’s stall instead. Ravi continues to scowl as he hears them laughing together about something and bundles his clothes up in agitation. Hyuna’s the one who pops her head into his stall with a smile moments later, and Wonshik loses some of his tenseness when he sees her. She puts his clothes away for him and comes back in with a leather harness dangling on her arm. 

     “Can I…?” she asks.  Wonshik sighs and nods, putting his hands against the wall of his stall without any argument. He feels soft, delicate fingers run over the swell of one cheek before they dip between the cleft. He shivers a little, the lightness of the touches surprisingly enjoyable. Hyuna’s fingers find the base of the plug and pull gently. A jolt of pleasure goes up Wonshik’s spine as the plug jostles and slides out just a bit before stopping.

     “Deep breath now,” Hyuna instructs and Wonshik tries his best. She pulls a bit harder, drawing out the plug slowly, and Wonshik’s forehead hits the wall with a moan. Fuck, it actually feels nice. Hyuna is chuckling softly as Wonshik pulls himself off the wall. 

     “Ahhh, you’re such a cutie,” she tells him, beaming, and pats his cheek with her clean hand. Wonshik makes some incoherent attempts at denial, looking anywhere but at Hyuna. Her smile widens as she puts the plug to the side and wipes her hand on a towel before returning with the leather harness. 

     It looks like many others Wonshik has seen at pleasure dens, two wide straps over the shoulders, and two around the chest, all connected to a ring in the middle, and one in the back. Hyuna fiddles with the buckles and clasps to loosen the straps and helps Wonshik get it on, tightening it until it’s snug on his body. She tugs on the center ring to test her work.

     “Perfect. Nothing pinches, right? Good. Your tack will be different, but this is just to start you off. I’ll be right back.” She disappears with the plug and returns with it cleaned, as well as with a lead that she attaches to his harness. She puts the plug away in "his" box, then clicks her tongue at him and turns to leave.  Wonshik has little choice except to follow her back out of the stable, feeling rather on display. Hyuna leads him to one of the large pastures and undoes the lead, nudging him inside. 

     “It's lunch, and then physical training starts. Be a good boy for them.” She gives him another bright smile and pats his cheek as she leaves. The ponies in training are left on their own for a bit once lunch is passed out, and Wonshik can at least use his hands and utensils this time. He sits on his own under a tree, and the quiet time with the warm sun on his skin helps him wind down some once more. He watches the others but he’s not in the mood to get to know anyone right now. The handlers come to fetch them when everyone is done and they’re broken up into groups at the outdoor rings.

     Wonshik is put through his paces, made to run and sprint, ordered through push ups and other strength exercises meant to prepare them for racing and pulling carriages. He’s shown how to pull a load safely, and they practice without any weights, pulling empty sleds around and focusing on form rather than speed.

     After a couple of hours, their exercise trainer moves on to another group, and a new handler comes to start their training in gaits and form in the show specialization. Wonshik is sure they spend nearly an hour on standing posture alone. The woman in charge of these lessons carries a crop, and she uses it to correct them, poking and prodding the lax areas, and using it more conventionally on those whose attention is drifting. When she works on him, Wonshik has to fight shivers as the leather of the crop end trails down his spine, pushing at his tailbone to remind him to correct his arching. She flicks it at his shoulders when when they slump forward, and taps it against his chin to remind him to keep his head up. She runs it across his lower stomach to make him engage the muscles there, both a taunt and a tantalizing threat. Wonshik is hard as a rock by the time she’s finished with him.

     When they’re all perfectly posed, they must hold that position as long as they can while the trainers walk amongst them and inspect them. Wonshik has to bite his lip to keep from outright jumping when a crop stings across his ass. He was too tense. He gets it again on the next pass. His shoulders had been slumping forward. By the time they can finally relax his muscles ache and everyone else looks as exhausted as he feels. They’re led back to the pasture for dinner, and his walk is more of a waddle thanks to his now insistent erection. He lets himself collapse to the grass in the middle of the pasture when he’s released, throwing an arm over his face. He already knows he can’t touch himself. That’s not even a rule specific to ponies. Anyone serving in the pleasure vocations knows it’s the first and most basic rule of most submission training, but that doesn’t help his problem go away any faster.

     “I can help you with that, you know,” comes a voice as Wonshik feels someone throw themselves down beside him. The voice is familiar, and when Wonshik peeks an eye open in irritation, he finds his neighbor, whose name he's learned is Sanghyuk, next to him. “They didn’t say we couldn’t touch each other,” Sanghyuk smirks. Wonshik rolls his eyes and pushes himself up again when he sees handlers bringing baskets with their dinner.

     “Oh fuck off,” he mutters at the boy, leaving him there on the grass. 

     It seems Sanghyuk isn’t giving up, though, because he follows Wonshik to where he sits to eat. Sanghyuk doesn’t sit though, glaring down at Wonshik, who ignores him and starts in on his dinner. 

     “What’s your problem?” Sanghyuk demands. Wonshik glares back at him, stuffing another bite of food into his mouth.

     “Currently, you. Piss off, kid.” Sanghyuk glowers more.

     “Why are you even here? You act like this is the worst thing to ever happen to you and everyone is out to get you. It’s so stupid. I don’t know how you even got picked.” Wonshik’s jaw clenches a little. 

     “Well, neither do I. I didn’t ask for this, I just got assigned.”

     “Suck it up then, or get the fuck out so the rest of us can actually train in peace. If you don’t think you should be here you don’t deserve to serve in pleasure. You’re just a-” Wonshik is on his feet in the blink of an eye and he shoves at Sanghyuk. 

     “You better watch your fucking mouth you brat,” he hisses. 

     “What are going to do about it, asshole?” Sanghyk growls, shoving Wonshik back.

     “I told you to just leave me the fuck alone,” Wonshik snarls, both of them now shoving each other back and forth, drawing stares.

     “Stop acting like a martyr, I was just trying to get to know you. Everyone is just trying to be nice to you, you self-obsessed asshole!”

     “What do you fucking know?” Sanghyuk shoves Wonshik hard enough that he stumbles a little and Wonshik has had it with this. He pushes himself forward again and swings at Sanghyuk. Sanghyuk ducks it and comes after him, ramming his shoulder into Wonshik’s chest. Wonshik pounds a few punches onto Sanghyuk’s back, and the other boy backs off, though he takes a swing of his own this time and catches the underside of Wonshik’s jaw. Wonshik gets in a kick as shouting approaches their fight and the two of them are hauled apart by their harnesses, still throwing punches.

     “Hey! HEY! Both of you, stop this!” Wonshik cringes because the shout comes near his ear, and he covers it with a hand. The one holding him back is Jaehwan, and his bright face looks uncharacteristically serious, cold even. The junior handler from last night who had antagonized Wonshik is holding Sanghyuk. They’re both panting, chests heaving for breath. Wonshik can feel a bruise forming on his jaw, and as he tunes back in to the world around him, he realizes it’s totally silent. Everyone is staring at them. 

     “Both of you, with me. Now.” Jaehwan’s voice is measured, but icy, and Wonshik’s stomach drops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it is a Tuesday! Just...two weeks later than I meant to post it. Unfortunately this chapter was like I took all the momentum from the past three and ran straight into a brick wall. 
> 
> If you're wondering what magical material the alchemists concocted, it's meant to be a reference to, and similar to, silicone, which is what many toys are made of today.
> 
> Anyway, I now have a Tumblr for this account, so come chat with me and feel free to ask me questions or send me predictions/headcanons/what have you at boysquipleurent.tumblr.com.


	5. Get Off Your High Horse Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik is suddenly terrifyingly sure they're about to be thrown out.

Jaehwan hauls him away, marching Wonshik past the onlooking ponies and trainers, not even bothering with a lead. Sanghyuk is propelled along next to him, no one speaking as they pass the stables and training rings. They stop outside a building at the entrance of the grounds, and Wonshik is suddenly terrifyingly sure they’re about to be thrown out. 

     Jaehwan only presses them on toward the building, however, opening the door and pushing Wonshik through. There’s some kind of common area in the front with a desk, parchment and quills scattered on it. He and Sanghyuk are pressed past the desk, though, down a hallway to a room at the back. When Jaehwan opens the door, Yunho is sitting behind a desk, his hands folded on top of it. Someone must have sent a runner to inform him what had been happening because he looks like he’s expecting them.

     The junior trainer closes the door to the office. Yunho stands behind his desk, the fading light through the windows outlining his large form. He puts his hand behind his back, staring down at Sanghyuk and Wonshik despite his smaller height. The other two men each keep a hand on their respective pony. 

     Yunho’s lips purse and the warmth in his eyes is hidden now.

     “Why do you both think you’re here?”

     Both of them stay quiet and glare at the floor.

     “Ravi!” Wonshik flinches in surprise at how sharp Yunho’s voice is. It drops low and controlled again as he continues to speak. “I have been willing to work with you, I have taken into account how hard it is to acclimate to the pleasure vocations, I have been more than happy to draw you out incrementally. But to disrespect me- Forget the fighting, to deliberately scorn me by, at the very least, by refusing to admit your own fault in a situation where you know well why you deserve what you are getting is to _spit_ in my face, is to tread on the respect I have given you.”

     Wonshik trembles a little, now staring at Yunho with wide eyes, shaken. Yunho stares back, eyes steely and, behind that, deeply disappointed… as well as hurt.

   That startles Wonshik, and he immediately feels sick that he’s responsible for making the head trainer look this way. Yunho turns to Hyuk, who is watching all this apprehensively. 

     “And you, Hyuk.” Yunho turns his sharp eyes onto the younger boy now. “Do you think you’re proving something? That you’re bigger, faster, stronger just because you’re adapting quickly? You turned your back on our principles today when you decided to harass a fellow apprentice, but moreover, when you decided it was your place to shame someone else’s journey. I expected better from you.” Wonshik can see Hyuk’s jaw working as the boy stares over Yunho’s shoulder rather than straight at him.

     “Jaehwan, Hongbin, get the benches,” Yunho orders, and Wonshik vaguely registers the new name with the junior trainer from last night who is here now. Wonshik can only hope that Jaehwan is the only one to punish him tonight.

     While Hyuk and Wonshik wait in their spots, completely still, Hongbin and Jaehwan each drag a wider than normal saw horse, padded at the top with sheep’s wool and leather, into the center of the room, setting them up several feet apart. They each push Ravi and Hyuk toward one, respectively, and Ravi’s eyes widen in horror as they’re bent over the sawhorses to face one another while Yunho hands each trainer something.

     “Hands behind your backs, boys,” Yunho commands, surveying once more from behind his desk. Wonshik catches a glimpse of what Hongbin has in his hand as the junior trainer positions himself behind Sanghyuk. It’s a leather strap, thick and wide and attached to a handle for ease of use. Sanghyuk looks nervous, too, either because of Wonshik’s expression or whatever Jaehwan has. It’s just then that Wonshik wonders if the two were even given the same implements, but his worry is cut off when a stinging blow slaps over one of his cheeks and he jerks against the sawhorse in surprise, automatically trying to twist away from the pain. 

     Well, it’s definitely a strap. Yunho counts “two” and the leather smacks down across the other side, and he bites his lip hard as he twists away again, his fingers digging into his forearms as he holds them in place. Wonshik feels Jaehwan’s hand press against his back then, keeping him in place for the next swing. This one stings over both cheeks and he jerks again, but Jaehwan keeps Wonshik down and in place. He can’t do anything to escape or lessen the sting.

     Yunho keeps counting, and the leather strap lashes down again and again. Jaehwan is really putting his arm into it, and from the look on Sanghyuk’s face, so is Hongbin. Of course, Wonshik is trying to look anywhere else than at Hyuk because he doesn’t want to feel bad for him, and he especially doesn’t want Hyuk to see his own expression. They pass ten strokes, and then fifteen. None of the trainers give hints of when this is going to end. The sting of the slaps becomes sharper, and now the pain is almost fiery. Wonshik bites his lip hard, squirming desperately, or trying to, but he can hardly move. The helplessness of the situation starts to get to him, and he drops his head, trying as hard as he can to keep any pained noises down as his eyes start to water. 

     He just keeps trying to breathe through his nose, and thinks that it doesn’t count as crying if the tears only fall when your head is down and you blink. Wonshik thinks they’re close to twenty when Jaehwan strikes again, right over a previous spot and Wonshik shoots up against his hand, spine straightening in an instant as the pain sears along it. He lets out a cracked, pained cry, but Jaehwan just pushes his shoulders down again and the next lash whistles down once more, pulling a choked noise out of him this time.

     Humiliation burns through his chest and up his neck at breaking in front of Sanghyuk, and he looks up with a glare to what he predicts will be a sneer from the other pony, if a weak one. Instead he finds Sanghyuk is looking at the ceiling, tears rolling down his face. They’re silent but steady, and Wonshik can see his body hitching with hiccups every few seconds, even when the strap isn’t hitting him.

     _They’re even then_ Wonshik concedes begrudgingly, and he doesn’t feel like he’s losing when the continued punishment wrenches more noises out of him. By twenty-five it feels like this will never end and Wonshik’s legs are trembling even though they’re not supporting him that much. Yunho definitely wants to drive his point home, and _fuck, Wonshik will never fight again, he swears it, just make it stop, it hurts-_ One blow strikes hard over one cheek again and Wonshik’s head snaps up as he howls in pain. His voice stutters and then rises in pitch when the next blow is across the other cheek. Yunho counts thirty and there’s one last hard strike where he nearly shrieks.

     And then there’s silence. Jaehwan’s hand is still on his lower back, but the touch is light now. No one says anything at all. Is it over? Ravi is back to looking at the floor, letting his breathing go back to normal before he glances up, looking first to Yunho, who’s standing in the same position as before.  
  
     “You can stand up now,” he says when he sees Ravi watching him. Jaehwan’s hand leaves his back and Ravi straightens up slowly, wincing slightly as his muscles ache in protest from being tensed so long. His ass starts to throb in pain, definitely burning. He sees Sanghyuk stand shakily from the corner of his eye. They still avoid looking at each other.

     “I hope this will be an effective reminder to you both that you are here to learn your trade, and that it is a difficult process for everyone, just in different ways. To succeed here and later on, you will have to support each other and work together, no matter who with.” Wonshik can’t hold Yunho’s gaze as he talks. For now, Yunho seems to ignore that.

     “Now I want you to apologize to each other. Sincerely.” Ravi cringes a little at the thought, but he’s given no choice, Jaehwan turning him and gently pushing him toward the middle of the room to face Hyuk. Their eyes don’t meet at first, and it’s silent. Neither wants to be the first to apologize. Yunho clears his throat after a moment. 

     “Look each other in the eyes. Or, if you’re both still not convinced, we can put you back over the benches-“

     “No!” they both say at the same time, panicked. Wonshik glances over at Sanghyuk, who’s doing the same.

     “Well then,” Yunho prompts. Wonshik slowly turns back to face Hyuk, his stomach curling unpleasantly at being humbled like this. He tries to meet Hyuk’s gaze but he can only do it for a second before he looks away. Hyuk has the same problem the next time, looking away when Wonshik finally looks at him again, and the three men watch them struggle in silence.

     Wonshik’s hands clench into fists to help him steel himself, even if he feels like flinching when they finally look at each other dead on. Hyuk’s eyes are still watery, and there are wide, prominent tear tracks down his cheeks. Wonshik knows his own face and neck and chest are probably flushed bright red from his yelling. The silence stretches.

     “….sorry,” Hyuk mutters suddenly, looking down. Wonshik also glances away, feeling uncomfortable again. He waits for Hyuk to glance back up, though, trying to gauge his reaction before he mutters his own “sorry” back to him. Wonshik isn’t sure he means it, but he really just wants this to be over now. Yunho sighs quietly.

     “Good enough, I suppose. Jaehwan, Hongbin, take them back to their stalls for the rest of the night.” Yunho sits down and turns to whatever papers are on his desk, not even looking at them as the two ponies are led away.

     All four are silent on their way back to the stables. Wonshik keeps his eyes on the ground. He can hear distant voices, everyone else still outside to enjoy the warm evening. He’s glad to be out of sight once they’re inside, though, and it’s funny how just a day ago he would never have imagined he’d be so relieved to be in his stall, hidden away from prying eyes and whispers.

     He hears shuffling in the stall next to him, but no voices, and Jaehwan also has nothing to say to him as he moves around Wonshik, unbuckling his harness and taking it with him as he leaves. 

     Wonshik stares at the floor of the stall, starting to tremble. He wants to go home, but thinking that makes the nauseating pit in his stomach worse. It shouldn’t be this way. Wonshik had never imagined this, he never thought it would be this difficult. He’s been here two days and each one has ended badly. This was supposed to be his calling, the one thing he was meant to do in life and even when he tried, like he had today, he failed. Desolation washes over him and Wonshik’s trembling becomes more violent. Everything is quiet around him. He is alone and he is worthless. The gods had been wrong after all.

     Wonshik sinks into a crouch and covers his face with his hands, instinctively trying to self-soothe. But the cool air only seems to grow colder and he shudders, rocking back and forth slightly with his face in his hands as the weight of everything he had hoped for his future seems to crash down around him. He is so deep inside his own head that he doesn’t hear the approaching footsteps over the sound of his own gasping breaths.

     That’s why he jerks away in surprise when a hand rests gently on his shoulder. He’s shocked to find Jaehwan’s face just in front of his own, looking concerned.

     “Hey, hey, it’s all right,” Jaehwan murmurs, voice taking on the same soothing timbre as it had last night. Wonshik continues to shiver as he looks at Jaehwan for a minute before pressing his face back into his knees. Here is this man, being so kind to him after witnessing yet another one of Wonshik’s humiliations, administering it even. He doesn’t pull away as Jaehwan’s arms wrap around him, tugging Wonshik onto his knees and against his warm body. Wonshik’s hands cover his face again as he’s held close and Jaehwan takes up the slow, gentle rocking he’d been doing just a minute ago. One hand rubs up and down Wonshik’s back slowly, from the nape of his neck down to his lower back. 

     “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s over, you took your punishment well,” Jaehwan murmurs to him as Wonshik heaves out strangled noises. He can’t seem to cry, only shiver and convulse. Jaehwan only holds him though, picking up a warm cloth with one hand after some time. He begins rubbing Wonshik’s clammy skin down while still rocking with him as best he can. Wonshik hadn’t even realized there was a sheen of sweat all over him from his exertion, and his shivering decreases some as Jaehwan towels him dry. The other stands for a moment, one hand on Wonshik’s shoulder as he reaches for something.

     When Jaehwan kneels in front of them again, he wraps a thick blanket around Wonshik despite the lack of cold outside, bundling him up tightly and then taking Wonshik in his arms again. Wonshik’s eyes close, and he’s not sure how long Jaehwan sits and holds him in the silence until Wonwhik’s tremors slow and finally begin to fade away. Wonshik’s face is pressed against Jaehwan’s neck, his head on his shoulder and his eyes closed. Jaehwan is very warm, and the way he still keep rubbing Wonshik’s back is soothing enough that Wonshik could probably fall asleep like this.

     Jaehwan shifts, though, looking down at Wonshik, and one hands smoothes Wonshik’s hair back from his forehead.

     “How are you feeling?” Jaehwan asks softly. Wonshik doesn’t look up, shrugging a little. 

     “…better,” he admits softly.

      “Good. Now, I need you to look at me, Ravi,” Jaehwan says gently, moving Ravi so he’s at arms length and they can see each other’s faces again. Ravi’s gut clenches, anxious that another reprimand is coming, or some kind of talk about how he’s already proven he’s not fit for a life in the pleasure trades.

     “I have to ask you something,” Jaehwan says, kind eyes boring into his now. Ravi tenses, and he squirms a little bit under that gaze. He feels a little embarrassed about his behavior toward Jaehwan now. The trainer teases him and gets him to react, yet still comes to his aid, even though Wonshik rejects him and lashes out. This whole thing is a lot to take in, and Jaehwan has only made it more confusing. Yet he’s also tried to ease Wonshik’s transition. Wonshik’s thoughts tangle hopelessly as Jaehwan keeps gazing at him. 

     “I know you don’t like me,” Jaehwan says quietly, surprising Wonshik. Well…it’s true he doesn’t really like Jaehwan. He doesn’t think so, anyway. He’s certainly not been pleased to see Jaehwan in any of the past two days or what Jaehwan's done to him during that time. So he guesses that statement’s correct.

     “You don’t have to like me,” Jaehwan continues. “I want to help you while you're here, though. I told you I'd take care of you. In order to do that, you need to trust me. Do you trust me?” Jaehwan asks, eyes searching Wonshik’s. “As Ravi and as Wonshik?”

      Wonshik can’t look away from him. Does he trust Jaehwan? Jaehwan makes him nervous, embarrassed, and jumpy, and knowing what he’s already seen makes Wonshik feel a little queasy. But beneath all that, he already knows the answer. He’d known as soon as Jaehwan asked, slow as he may be to admit it.  What had happened last night was really the only example he needed, but he already had more.

     “Yes,” he whispers. “I trust you.” He looks down after that, exhaustion suddenly washing over him.

     “I’m relieved to hear that,” Jaehwan says sincerely, looking down at Wonshik slumping into his arms. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but he looks more comfortable already to Jaehwan. “I’ll return shortly.” Jaehwan stands, a little stiff from kneeling down there for so long. He puts everything he’d needed away, and when he returns to his recalcitrant little pony he brings food with him.

      “You didn’t get a chance to finish dinner,” Jaehwan says when Wonshik looks up at him curiously, still a little fragile looking.

     “Oh….thank you,” Wonshik says softly. If he’d had more energy, Wonshik probably would have felt even shittier at Jaehwan’s considerate care, but right now he’s just grateful. Jaehwan lingers for a minute, crouching down once more. 

     “I also…. I wanted to apologize,” Jaehwan says, and that makes Wonshik pay attention right away. His brow furrows in confusion.

     “What? ….why?” Wonshik asks, bewildered. 

     “I wanted to apologize for earlier today,” Jaehwan says, expression concerned again. Wonshik suddenly remembers Jaehwan pantsing him earlier that day. That seems so long ago, and Wonshik can’t even get embarrassed at this point, considering what else today had ended up leading to. “I only meant to tease you. You just react so expressively. It’s cute,” Jaehwan says, a smile turning up his lips already, but he tries to contain it. “But I should have known better,” he amends. “I should have given you more room to breathe and more time. I’m sorry.”

     Wonshik just sits there, trying to think of something, anything to say.

     “…thank you,” he finally manages to get out. He does appreciate it, but now he kind of wishes Jaehwan weren’t apologizing. He’d been livid in that moment, but he can see in hindsight Jaehwan had done it in fun. He hadn't been malicious, of course, Wonshik had just felt...singled out when he hadn't been expecting it. “I…appreciate that,” he mumbles at the floor, and the last of the tension seems to seep away.

   Jaehwan’s expression blooms into a smile once more.

     “Thank you. Now, once you’re done, lay down. I’ve got something for those bruises.” Wonshik thought he was done for the night, but he can feel his cheeks heat up once more as he stretches out on his stomach across the hay, though Jaehwan seems as unaffected as ever as he gets to work. Both he and Jaehwan fall into silence as Jaehwan very gently spreads a cooling cream across his cheeks, taking great care around the largest welts. By the end of the ministration, Wonshik feels as though he’s weighed down, his limbs like lead. The cream makes his skin tingle slightly, and Jaehwan’s fingers are light and nearly ticklish. When he’s done, Jaehwan seems to realize that Wonshik isn’t all that inclined to move and covers him with the blanket again.

     “Rest well,” Jaehwan murmurs as he collects the remains of Wonshik’s dinner. Wonshik mumbles his thanks back and curls beneath the blanket. He’ll likely kick it off during the night because it’s warm enough now, but as the ponies are brought in for the night, he’s thankful for the way it shields him from prying eyes and scandalized whispers. 

     Wonshik doesn’t sleep right away, however. He stays awake as he listens to the others settle in for the night, thinking. His heart clenches a little as he recalls Jaehwan's whispers to him and realizes he’d spoken softly so the two next door wouldn’t over hear.

     When he finally closes his eyes, he feels that in trusting Jaehwan he managed to make one good choice tonight, at least.  
  
     He still didn't like him, though.  That's what he assured himself, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone had an enjoyable Halloween! 
> 
> Thank you so much for the continued kudos and reviews and bookmarks. They really, truly do motivate me and let me know that my work is being enjoyed, and I appreciate all of them.


	6. The Horse Changes His Stripes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik regrets just about everything the next morning.

     Wonshik regrets just about everything the next morning when he wakes up to his ass feeling like it’s actually throbbing. He groans and buries his head back in the hay, not even the scratchiness getting to him as it rubs against his face. He supposes that even if they get days off, two days of work isn’t anywhere near long enough to have one. He flattens himself to his bedding a little more as he fully realizes this is the life of not just an apprentice, but of any submissive pleasure servant. For as long as he serves in a position like this, this is what he has to look forward to if he steps out of line, or worse.

     Today, interestingly, that thought doesn’t fill him with the dread it might have a week ago. It’s more of an exasperation, partly because he knows this is far from the last time he’ll fuck up. Hopefully the mistakes will be a little more equally spread amongst the apprentices from here on out, and Wonshik just happened to be one of the first and most noticeable. How has it only been two days of training, though?

     Wonshik hears the noise of his food trough being filled and it’s Soojung again. She gives him a sympathetic smile and hangs his towel from the hook next to his stall. Wonshik breathes in deeply and releases a loud sigh, then suddenly sneezes several times. Okay, he’ll have to remember not to take a huge breath with his face in the hay. 

     He should get up so he has the time to eat without rushing, but he stays in his “bed” and quietly grumbles to himself a bit more before gingerly getting to his feet. His ass is still stinging at the same level of pain, so he has a feeling it will only get worse throughout the day.

   When Wonshik finishes his breakfast and cleans his face against the towel, he notices Sanghyuk hasn’t popped up to have breakfast yet. He wonders if the other is still sleeping, or avoiding him and sulking. Wonshik mentally shrugs at himself. It’s not his business, and he’d rather avoid the guy from here on out so there won’t be any more problems. Hyuna unlocks his door so Wonshik can go use the washroom, something he’s hoping they’ll always be allowed, since he doesn’t want to think about the alternative. Another trainee handler comes to groom and “tack up” Wonshik as he’d learned the whole process was called. The young handler tries to be gentle inserting the plug for the day so that he doesn’t irritate Wonshik’s welts, but he hisses anyway because it’s of little use. Hyuna, bless her soul, comes back with some more of the cooling cream and puts on a thin coat that makes the pain bearable.

     It’s only when they’re led outside that Wonshik realizes they’re not going to the schoolroom and are instead starting their day with training, apparently. Yunho is waiting for all of them by one of the rings, and Wonshik lets himself fall back a few rows into the crowd as everyone finds a spot, not keen on being in the head trainer’s direct line of sight after yesterday. Yunho smiles at the crowd, all of them clearly confused.  
  
     “Good morning, apprentices. In case you’ve lost track of the days, which I know can be easy to do during training, today is Saturday.” Wonshik blinks. Has it really been a little over a week? He counts back in his head, and yes, the Appraisal was last Friday. He can’t seem to make sense of how long ago that was. The days on the road flashed by in moments, yet the past two days have seemed like weeks unto themselves. Wonshik can see how easily pet submissives can lose the thread of days and nights passing them by. Yunho continues. 

     “While our schedule might be different from other jobs, we do build in some rest on the weekends. You will not have lessons in the schoolroom on Saturdays or Sundays. Saturday mornings will begin with physical training, and in the afternoon we will usually have tasks for you to do, or will take you into the city districts to give you practical training.”

      He pauses, watching the ripple of breaths and darting eyes through the crowd. Wonshik himself inhales sharply. The city, like the capitol city. Like being paraded around in public, letting people see them, interact with them, judge them…maybe even use them. Wonshik swallows and his belly flips. He would scowl about his body’s reaction, but hearing the rest of what Yunho has to say is more interesting than paying attention to that.  
  
     “Normally you also won’t have your plugs in on Saturdays to start. Since you’ve been here such a short time, though, we wanted a little exposure for you today. You’ll also have free time after your training and lunch today. You will be able to write letters, find some books in the schoolroom library, or be guided around the trails here to get to know the grounds, though we will insist that everyone stays in the compound. Sundays you will have free to begin with, but some of that free time will be spent as ponies. You will need to get used to “grazing.” Over time you will have your plugs in for a certain amount of time on Saturdays as well, and you will be allowed into the city for leisure on Sundays, with some restrictions.”

     There are soft murmurs among the crowd, many people looking relieved or excited that they will get a reprieve, however small, at some point. Yunho smiles at them indulgently.  
  
     “Yes, we’re not always so mean. So why don’t you all get to your training, and enjoy the rest of your Saturday.”

      Wonshik allows himself to be jostled along to his destination with the crowd. His morning exercises mostly consists of strengthening and endurance work, plus some review of proper cart pulling techniques. The morning ends with a lesson on the basic walking gait, and then they’re all let into the pasture for lunch, still allowed to eat like humans for now.

      Wonshik finds himself a comfortable spot in a somewhat shaded area, observing the other ponies as he eats. He doesn’t mind eating alone, and he finds the peace of it after the past few days rather welcome. Occasionally he sees people dart glances at him or at Sanghyuk, who is eating alone on the other side of the pasture. It’s not a fantastic feeling, knowing people don’t want to approach you, but Wonshik can live with it. He tries to push away a twinge of guilt when he sees that even the people who had previously seemed to include Sanghyuk in their forming groups of friends will not approach him anymore.

  
     Whatever. Wonshik had apologized and been punished, and he wouldn’t antagonize the other. That’s all he had to do.

     When lunch is over everyone returns to their respective stables, the volume of chatter much louder than it has been previously as everyone begins to feel the excitement over their free time. Wonshik gets his tail plug removed and tugs on some clean clothing, though he stays barefoot. He intends to get some letter writing supplies so that he can inform his family of his safe arrival. Outisde Jaehwan is shouting, gathering a group who want to walk the trails of the compound to get to know them. Wonshik sees other groups of more experienced ponies being hitched to wagons and carts, or being carefully groomed before leaving for town, performing those tasks Yunho had talked about. He doesn’t envy them right now, but it would be nice to be able to see the city.

      A few of the full time handlers are helping Yunho pass out the paper and quills and ink. Wonshik purposefully avoids Yunho’s area, but he can see the head trainer watching him when he turns to go find a spot where he can write. As he makes his way through the milling throngs of apprentices trying to figure out what to do with their half day, he can see a group of other ponies hesitantly approaching him. He keeps walking, but when they’re close enough that it’s clear they really are trying to talk to him, Wonshik stops.

      He looks at them, keeping his expression neutral. He doesn’t want to get into another confrontation, but they didn’t seem to have bad intentions coming over so Wonshik also doesn’t want to scare them away if they’re not intending to be hostile.

      “Did you want to say something?” Wonshik finally asks when no one in the group says anything. It’s only about five or six people really, all in his group of Appraisals and of various genders. Most look to be younger than Wonshik. Everyone seems to nudge the boy who had led them over forward, and he glances at Wonshik and then away again.

     "S-sorry if we’re bothering you…but we wanted to know what it was like.”  
  
     Wonshik’s face scrunches up in confusion.  
  
     “Like what was like?”

     “The punishment!” one of the girls finally blurts out, covering her mouth in embarrassment after. The first boy picks up from there.

     "Y-yeah, that. We were hoping you could tell us…since you’re the first one who got punished.”  
  
     Oh. Wonshik laughs awkwardly, because he doesn’t know what else to do.

     “I mean, it wasn’t fun. It was a real punishment, not a play one.”  
  
     “Does it still hurt?” someone else asks eagerly, and Wonshik nods, feeling his embarrassment grow as he notices there are more listeners hanging around trying to hear what he’s saying.  
  
     “You have marks, right?”  
  
     “Ah, yeah, some welts. They’re giving me some healing salve for them, though,” he mumbles sheepishly.

     “What did they use on you?” someone whispers, looking in awe of him.  
  
     “A…a strap. On bare skin,” he replies and some people gasp. A few look excited. Wonshik wants to squirm.

      “Ah, listen,” he says. “I was going to go write some letters.” He doesn’t want to disappoint, though, especially now that it seems like people might not be terrified of him or think he’s a jerk. “Maybe I can tell you more at dinnertime.” There are excited agreements all around, and Wonshik sighs in relief as he’s able to escape the interrogation for now.

     He lets himself into the schoolroom, which is quiet and empty. There’s a little alcove to one side of the room with bookshelves and some comfortable bench seats. Wonshik curls up there to write letters home. He ends up staring at them for a long time, debating how much to include, whether he should talk about his struggles or just make everything sound positive.  He writes to his parents and sister separately, keeping the details sparse in both of them, but assuring his family he’s okay.  Maybe another time he'll include more details, but for now it feels too vulnerable, too shameful.  On a whim he writes to Sunyoung as well, though he doesn’t even know if it will get delivered properly, nor does he expect a response. It just feels good to have something to do.

     Wonshik strolls around the grounds for the rest of the afternoon, not venturing into the forest trails yet, and watches the older apprentices as they work, excited and intimidated by the preview of what he may be doing soon enough.

     That night he ends up surrounded by eager listeners over dinner as he recounts the whole story of his punishment. People willingly chat with him after that when they return to their stalls for the night, apparently accepting him into the general fold of apprentices. The next morning they’re allowed another late wakeup, and there are no tails. Everything moves more lsowly, and Wonshik does take a guided trip through the forest trails in the morning, having to admit to himself that it's truly beautiful here, and their training center is truly the best there must be in the kingdom.

     He’s oddly relaxed today, despite the fact they're all naked yet again, and a few ponies make small talk with him when they settle down for lunch, helping him feel like he's reaching some kind of normal at last.. It’s as Wonshik is finishing that he sees Jaehwan approaching. He’s coming straight for Wonshik.

     “Good morning, handsome,” Jaehwan grins at him. Wonshik snorts.

     “Hi. Something you want?” he asks with a sigh, though he tries to keep his tone exasperated rather than rude.

     “Ravi! You think I would just come over here to get something from you?" Jaehwan cries in mock hurt. Wonshik stares at him.  
  
     “Yes, actually.” Jaehwan shakes his head.  
  
     “So distrusting. Though…not entirely wrong,” Jaewhan admits. “I have an important lesson with the apprentice handlers today, and I need someone to demonstrate on,” Jaehwan says, expression still bright as he searches Wonshik’s face. “Will you help me?”  
  
     Wonshik’s stomach starts flipping immediately. He has a feeling whatever it this is will be humiliating in some way, considering that a crowd will be watching. But he also has Jaehwan’s expression as he asked Wonshik to trust him circling in his mind from the other night, and the memories of Jaehwan gentling him through his various shames rise to his mind easily as well. In a sense, he owes Jaehwan, or at least he feels like he does.  
  
     “….okay,” he finally says, only realizing he was worrying his lip with his teeth when he lets it go to answer. Jaehwan’s eyes light up, startling Wonshik a little. There’s nothing salacious in them, so the triumph is not from how he will wreck Wonshik. Is it just from Wonshik putting in an effort?  
  
     “Thank you,” Jaehwan says, already clipping the lead rope to Wonshik’s harness and leading him out of the gated pasture. He takes him to the middle of the area between several pastures and training rings, the center of the hustle and bustle of everyone's schedules on normal days. A small wooden platform is there with people already sitting on the grass in front of it, one Wonshik never took much notice of. Jaehwan climbs the steps ahead of Wonshik, who can see a few last apprentices joining the crowd. Jaehwan unhooks the lead – he’s sure Wonshik won’t run, then – and pushes down on Wonshik’s shoulder until he kneels next to where Jaehwan is seated on a small wooden block.

     Wonshik’s face burns as he body naturally slides into a comfortable position, which means his legs spread to balance his weight, exposing him to the audience. The platform is quite low as well, so the apprentices in the front row are probably right about eye level with his junk now.

     “Good afternoon, apprentices. We have a very important lesson for you today. Ravi here has graciously-“ Wonshik can hear some light laughter in the crowd at the thought of the heretofore wild pony being gracious. “-allowed himself to be selected to assist me today,” Jaehwan tells the curious crowd. Wonshik is trying to look out at the middle distance but the feeling of eyes on him is too great and he glances down a few times, catching people’s expressions. Every last one of them looks interested, if not outright excited. Wonshik’s muscles tighten.

     “When we play with our ponies, I know you are all aware that they are not allowed to cum without permission, and such permission is saved for when they have done exceptionally well. In our ponies who can produce semen, this can actually create a problem,” Jaehwan continues, reaching over to stroke Wonshik’s hair as he speaks. “If semen isn’t released at regular intervals it can lead to health problems. If orgasm is teased and denied constantly, then that can exacerbate those possible issues. So, how do we take care of our ponies without allowing them pleasure?”  
  
     Jaehwan pauses for dramatic effect, watching the faces of the apprentices, waiting for their minds to think of possibilities. His fingers still card through Wonshik’s hair hypnotizingly. Wonshik is still listening, but his concentration is starting to focus more on the steady hand in his hair, his body relaxing.  
  
    “No guesses? That’s all right, this isn’t a well known technique outside of the pet trades. We employ a technique called prostate milking.” Most of the apprentices look blank, but a few look up quickly at the words.  
  
     “I know you all took basic anatomy to get here, so I hope that you all know that the prostate gland is responsible for semen production. It is also incredibly pleasurable when stimulated. Many people in the pleasure trades know of prostate massage, which enhances orgasms in those who have prostates. Prostate milking, however, can produce semen without an orgasm when done correctly.”  
  
     Wonshik feels the fingers in his hair drift to his cheek, guiding him to look up at Jaehwan. He blinks for a moment, some of his clarity returning. He notices that at some point Yunho had joined the watching crowd, standing farther back. Wonshik feels a sudden rush – he likes Yunho and he wants to prove himself after the other day, to show the head trainer he wouldn’t be a disappointment. So when Jaehwan smiles and reaches for Wonshik, helping him position himself on all fours over Jaewhan’s lap, he goes easily, fully aware of everything once more.  
  
     “It will help to coax your pony into at least some light subspace at first.” Wonshik startles a little. Is that what he had been in while Jaewhan was talking? Jaehwan’s hand starts to caress Wonshik’s ass.

     “Then, just start fingering them like you usually would. You don’t need to actually prep them for anything, it’s just to get them relaxed.” Jaehwan’s hand leaves his skin and then returns shortly, pressing between Wonshik’s cheeks, which he’s getting more and more used to. The first one slides in easily even though Wonshik hasn’t even been stretched with a plug today. He lets himself focus on just the finger inside him, lets the crowd watching them fall away, lets his eyes close as Jaehwan works.

    “Two fingers usually work best for this,” Wonshik hears Jaehwan instructing, going on to explain to them where the prostate is and how to find it. “You want to be very, very gentle with this. Being rough can cause other health problems.” There are two fingers now, wiggling gently, and Wonshik is half hard against Jaehwan’s thigh.

    “You’ll know when you find it,” Jaehwan says, just as he nudges a spot inside Wonshik that has his back arching with a gasp. It’s not hard to hear the smirk in Jaehwan’s voice when he continues.  
  
    “Once you know where it is, only use the pads of your fingers, never the tips or the nails. Keep your pace slow. You’re just stimulating for semen, not pleasure.” Well it feels pretty damn pleasurable to Wonshik. Not as good as a hand or a mouth around his cock, or actually getting fucked, but after just a few days of living in such a sexual environment and having no release he’ll take what he can get.

  
    “Now, keep in mind that your ponies might get aroused anyway when you first start. This will happen less as both you and the pony apprentices get experience,” Jaehwan says, apparently noticing Wonshik’s pleasure. “Don’t be discouraged if the pony ends up orgasming. What you can do in that situation…” Wonshik has mostly tuned Jaehwan out, moaning almost constantly at the feeling wracking his body, hips jerking forward here and there against Jaehwan's leg.

     “…is ruin it. I’ll show you how.”

     Wonshik’s head jerks up as Jaewan’s free hand wraps around his cock and begins to stroke. Did he miss something? He hadn’t heard what Jaehwan had just been talking about. Maybe Jaehwan figures this will be easier after he takes the edge off. He thrusts into Jaehwan’s fist shamelessly, totally unself-conscious at the moment as he chases that bliss he keeps getting denied. He can feel the wave building, rising through his body, and his head tips back as he draws in harsh breaths, so close to it, now, oh god, he’s going over-

     “And then when they’re right there, let go and stop doing anything, just when it’s too late.”  
  
     Wonshik makes a distressed noise as Jaehwan’s fingers stop pressing at him, his hand releasing Wonshik. He cries out as his orgasm does overtake him but even as his cum paints his stomach he’s left wanting, hips working in frustration, trying to find that pleasure he had almost fallen into that is gone so easily.  
  
     Wonshik’s head drops back down when he’s done, and he can’t stop the frustrated whine that rips out of him. It’s so unfair, and he glares at Jaehwan when he hears the man laughing.  
  
     “Sorry, sweet boy. You haven’t earned a good one yet.” Wonshik is not amused at this and tries to bite at Jaehwan’s hand when it moves to touch his hair. He misses, and Jaehwan only laughs more.  
  
     “It looks like I’ve made Ravi here rather grumpy, so we should finish this up. When milking a pony you can often get them to spill several times. It’s a good idea to make sure they’ve gone until they’re completely dry at least once a month. Let’s see how many we can get before I’m in real trouble with Ravi.”  
  
     Wonshik can’t see it but Jaehwan winks at the crowd before he starts massaging at Wonshik’s prostate again. He groans in discomfort, trying to squirm away in Jaehwan’s lap because he’s barely over his orgasm and his nerves are overly sensitive now. Jaehwan doesn’t stop, though, keeping Wonshik firmly in place as he works, careful but quick, and Wonshik lets out a low noise of despair as another feeling creeps on him, different from an impending orgasm. Before he can catch his breath Wonshik spills again, this time from a mostly soft cock, and his seed simply splatters onto the ground in a stream, rather than a powerful shot like normal.

  
     Wonshik’s cheeks warm, though he’s unable to pinpoint why it feels so embarrassing to spill without actually orgasming like that. He's not a particularly macho guy, but that had really felt unmanly.  Maybe that's why it bothers him.  Jaehwan pats his cheek.  
  
     “That’s what it looks like, apprentices. An anal orgasm will look much the same, pouring out like that instead of ejaculating like normal, but it would of course actually be pleasurable.”  
  
     Wonshik is shivering in Jaehwan’s hold now, his body very confused about what’s going on and whether it should be satisfied or not. He makes a strangled noise when Jaehwan goes back at it again, muttering “no, no,” but submitting to it anyway. He knows that even here in training he can safeword, but he doesn’t, feeling uncomfortable but safe and still, at his core, wanting to prove he can be good.

     Jaehwan works him enough that he’s cumming again without actually orgasming, but this time there’s only a little bit that leaves him as he sobs dryly, unaware that the wrecked sounds echoing in his ears are his own, completely pushed over the edge.

     He’s somewhere else in his head, somewhere far away as Jaehwan maneuvers the man down once he orders all the apprentices off to practice on the other ponies, sitting on the edge of the stage with Wonshik in his lap. Yunho brings him a bucket of water and a cloth so Jaehwan can clean up his demonstration partner.  Wonshik closes his eyes and lets himself drift.

     Wonshik comes back to himself a little when he’s maneuvered up onto his feet and into the pasture, a voice in his ear telling him how good he is. When he next comes to, he’s n a small shelter where ponies can get out of the rain or wind on disagreeable days, wrapped in a blanket on a bed of straw. Jaehwan is sitting nearby, a hand in Wonshik’s hair, and his eyes light up when he sees Wonshik is awake.  
  
    “You were wonderful,” he says softly, pressing a sugar cube to Wonshik’s lips, which he gratefully accepts. He just nudges his head at Jaehwan’s hand in thanks, laying contently with the trainer for a bit longer as the other makes sure he's back to himself, okay and grounded once more.

     Once Jaehwan leaves to attend to other ponies and to check on the progress of the apprentices’ milkings, Wonshik snatches a quick actual nap and then watches the tail end of the other milkings. He smiles to himself, feeling as if everyone is on more even ground now, and he's not the only one who's had to suffer some indignity.

     That night Wonshik finds he doesn’t dread the start of a new week and heavier training. If his days go in the direction of this weekend, maybe he can get used to this after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, I haven't abandoned you all! I'm sorry that this has taken almost a year. I'm back now, and I'm hoping to institute a manageable update schedule. I'm looking at trying one Prancer update a month. Thank you for sticking with me so far, there's a lot more ahead.
> 
> Thank you as always to those who have left kudos and comments, and to those who keep reading.


	7. Horseplay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik finally settles in as the days turn into weeks.

     Wonshik finally settles in as the days begin to turn into weeks. The last of the dampness leaves the air as the summer approaches. Appraisals never have fixed dates, but they always fall some time in the month after the changing of one season to another. It helps, especially in January the people have found, to brighten the time in between celebrations. 

     Wonshik counts himself lucky to have had an April Appraisal. That and the September ones are the best to have, he thinks, since you can get used to things before the weather becomes scorching hot or freezing. 

     It’s particularly nice since they spend a lot of time outside now in the afternoons. The embarrassment of the lessons hasn’t exactly gone away, but it’s stopped getting under Wonshik’s skin so much. And he enjoys the embarrassment that’s left, sometimes, which he starts to realize is part of what marked him for this career.

     A routine forms, just as Yunho had promised, and Wonshik begins to focus on his work rather than just getting through it. They still can’t go into the city yet, but on leisure days the handler apprentices will sometimes join them to socialize or play games. Wonshik becomes used to the tail plug over longer periods, and he’s friendly with a lot of people now.

     But as May waxes, it becomes obvious that there is now someone else struggling. Sanghyuk has become a problem. Or rather he can’t seem to shake his.

     Whenever Wonshik pays attention Sanghyuk seems to be getting reprimanded. He gets punished a few times for being recalcitrant, and others just for screwing up in training. Others get reprimanded for that, too, but Sanghyuk seems to just be getting worse over time. A few times, like other ponies, he’s set up with an impossible challenge and the punishment is meant to be fun. This is usually Hongbin’s doing, Wonshik notices, but Sanghyuk smiles after those. The rest of the time he looks somewhat listless, lost and tired, or even angry.

     The others still avoid him, too. Wonshik, while not close with any one or two people, is now easily accepted into the trainee fold. Sanghyuk continues to eat and pass their free time alone. Wonshik had cringed privately the few times he’d seen Sanghyuk try to approach people or join a conversation, only to be subtly but resolutely ignored. The kid is being completely iced out, and despite it not being Wonshik’s doing, he’s beginning to feel quite bad about it.

     On one beautiful day Wonshik doesn’t even see Sanghyuk at first, until he realizes the boy is on the far side of the field, curled up to nap under a hedge. It looks like he doesn’t want to be seen and his food is untouched. Wonshik can’t take it anymore, but he doesn’t know quite yet what to do. So he turns to some of the apprentices when there’s a lull in the lunch conversation.

     “Hey, I’m just a bit curious,” he starts, trying to sound nonchalant. “Why is it that mostly everyone seems like they’ve moved on from all the shit I did at the beginning of training, but it’s not the same for Sanghyuk?”

     “Well, yes, you were kind of a jerk. But you didn’t bother anyone else, really,” someone answers immediately. “You weren’t friendly, sure, but you didn’t actively go after other people,” another apprentice adds. Wonshik frowns a bit.

     “True, but Sanghyuk seemed to be pretty friendly with some of you, but I had no relationship with anyone besides also being an apprentice.”  
  
   “But Sanghyuk was hostile,” the first pony insists. “He violated one of the most basic understandings of pleasure trades – he interfered with how you were dealing with it, and passed judgment based on how he thought you should act as a pleasure apprentice, how a “real” pleasure apprentice would act or feel. He stuck his nose where it didn’t belong, and he was aggressive about it. I don’t think people feel they can trust him now.”

     “I see.” And Wonshik can understand that. But if the others can all understand where he was coming from, can’t they see that Sanghyuk is slipping toward that now?

      “Why do you mind?” the same guy asks. “You’re the one he was the worst to. You have all the right to dislike him the most.” Wonshik can only shrug helplessly.  
  
     “I’m not sure. I just feel for him, I guess. He doesn’t seem to be improving.” He tries to forget about it on the advice of the other apprentices, but Wonshik just can’t leave it alone. It doesn’t feel right.  
  
     But how to bridge the gap? Wonshik keeps an eye out, but he’s not sure if Sanghyuk will accept an olive branch. Wonshik worries he’ll be resentful instead. Even more, all the apprentices are constantly around each other and Wonshik doesn’t want to approach him in front of all of them. He knows he would find that embarrassing, so he thinks Sanghyuk might as well. 

   Since it’s already the middle of the week, Wonshik decides to find a time to approach Hyuk over the weekend when everyone disperses. Hopefully Wonshik will be able to find him, since he always disappears nowadays.

      But opportunity doesn’t wait for him, and instead sneaks up from behind.

     What happens is that it’s Friday night. They’ve all been bedded down for several hours when Wonshik wakes up needing to go take a leak. He quietly lets himself out of his stall and pads down the hall to take care of business. When he returns, he pauses in the hallway, thinking he hears something.

     Well, it couldn’t be a mouse, their pest charms were just replaced in here. Wonshik can’t hear it after a minute, so he continues to his stall. He hears the soft sound again when he moves, and freezes once more. It’s barely there, a whispery sound, and Wonshik starts to creep toward his stall door slowly. His skin gets goosebumps, his nerves turning jumpy.

     The sound gets more noticeable, not exactly louder, the closer he gets to his own stall. There’s something about it that his brain is trying to place. Wonshik peeks into his own stall in case there’s someone or something in there for some reason.

     But it’s empty, and as Wonshik realizes that he can finally place the sound. It’s the sound of soft crying. Someone is stifling sobs nearby.

     Wonshik looks around, trying to peer into the other stalls without moving. He can’t tell who it is at first, but his heart sinks as he inches closer to Sanghyuk’s side. The breathy noises are coming from there, he can confirm. Yet Wonshik hesitates before the door. He worries that his interference won’t be welcome, that it will only make Sanghyuk angry with him. But if all he has to lose is a friendship with the other that doesn’t even exist yet, then why shouldn’t he try when someone is clearly in pain?  
  
     Wonshik lifts the latch on the door quietly, easing the stall open and guiding it shut behind him. Hyuk’s straw bed is on the left side of the stall, against the same wall Wonshik has his own nest, the one that they share. He can make out a lanky form curled tight on his side toward the wall, shivering slightly with light sobs. He hasn’t noticed Wonshik, then, but that changes as soon as Wonshik’s step rustles forward and he kneels down.  
  
     Sanghyuk shoots to a sitting position, looking over his shoulder in surprise. Wonshik holds his hands up in an “I mean no harm” gesture as Hyuk narrows his eyes at Wonshik.

     “What are you doing here?” the boy rasps in a rough whisper, laying back down to face the wall. “Go away. You can laugh at me from your own stall.”

     “I don’t want to do that. I mean laugh at you,” Wonshik quickly amends. “I wanted to check on you, that’s all. It seems like you’ve been having a hard time lately.” 

     “Wow, what makes you say that?” Sanghyuk asks sarcastically, impatiently trying to rub more tears from his face. The boy’s miserable expression softens his words, and Wonshik puts a hand on his shoulder.

     “I’m sorry that you’ve been dealing with that. And that people are being unkind to you.” Sanghyuk sniffs petulantly and crosses his arms in a childish snit.

     “I thought you’d love it.”

     “I don’t,” Wonshik tells him emphatically. “I thought you were an ass but I don’t wish terrible things on you. I don’t want anyone to feel like I did when I first got here.”

     “You don’t know how I feel,” Sanghyuk mumbles, but there’s little fight behind his words now.

     “No, I don’t. But I can guess at it. And it doesn’t take a lot to guess you’re not feeling very good about most things.”

      Sanghyuk is silent, arms still crossed and staring at the wall. Wonshik is at a loss, but if he keeps going he might just break through – it seems like he’s almost there. The embarrassment will be worth it.  
  
     “I want to try and be friends, Hyuk. Honestly. You shouldn’t have to be alone.” Wonshik is expecting another snarl or a scoff, but he’s not expecting Sanghyuk’s face to screw up, his lower lip wobbling as he tries to push back tears again. Wonshik’s heart aches. They are indeed more similar than they’d thought.

     He lays down next to Sanghyuk, coaxing the boy to come with him while hardly minding that they’re both naked, and wraps an arm around the boy. He’s not sure if that makes things better or worse as Hyuk starts to sob into his fist.

      “I miss my mom,” Hyuk eventually chokes out and Wonshik is going to protect this large boy forever now, even from himself.  
  
     “I do, too,” Wonshik murmurs sincerely, just trying to keep the younger man grounded with his touch and some acknowledgement.    
  
     “I…want to go home…but…” Hyuk gags a little and Wonshik shushes him, splaying a hand over the boy’s sternum.  
  
     “It does that, I know. Makes you feel worse. It’s okay, you don’t have to decide right now. Wanting to leave doesn’t mean you have to follow through on it.” Wonshik can feel Sanghyuk’s muscles untense a little as he thinks on that, though the tears still come.

     As Hyuk starts to break Wonshik asks quietly if he’d like Wonshik to stay. Hyuk manages a nod, so Wonshik stays, murmuring to him and letting Hyuk cry it out with someone there to support him. 

     Wonshik doesn’t break the silence at first when Hyuk finally quiets down. It’s warm next to him in the hay, and Wonshik feels oddly comforted, too.  
  
     “Sanghyuk,” he whispers softly. “Could I stay here for the night?” He partially means to ask if Sanghyuk would like him to stay, but he feels like spotlighting that could scare the boy away, and he does want to stay. As it is, he just gets a nod as his answer, but then an arm settles over his, keeping it in place.

     Wonshik settles into the hay, his eyes starting to close as Sanghyuk’s breathing returns to normal, then starts to deepen.   Having another warm body close was always nice, but here it was an extra dose of comfort.

     “Goodnight, Hyuk.”

 ~ 

     Jaehwan has a slight change in his schedule on Saturday morning, so he can be down at the pony compound early for once. He strolls there with a smile on his face, hands in his pockets, figuring that he should get there right around the late breakfast.  
  
     What he walks into is quiet chaos.

     He went to the masc pony stables first, of course, and inside there is a flurry of hushed activity. Jaehwan’s brow furrows as he tries to find someone to talk to as the apprentices hurry around, trying to stay quiet to apparently avoid waking the sleeping pony apprentices.  
  
     “Soojung!” he says when he spots someone he feels can give him a good answer at last. He grabs her shoulder gently. “What the hell is going on here?” Soojung turns a wide-eyed gaze to him and her eyes dart around nervously.  
  
     “Ravi is gone.”

     Jaehwan lets her shoulder go, his chest turned hollow.  
  
     “He wasn’t in his stall when we came in to start setting up for the day. He didn’t come back from the bathrooms, so people went in to check. He’s not there, and we didn’t see him in any of the pastures. …I’m sorry?” she says, like she doesn’t entirely know why she’s apologizing to Jaehwan, but feels she should anyway.

     The man himself is gobsmacked. This has to be a joke. Ravi had been doing so well. They had gotten past all this, certainly to the point he would have _told_ Jaehwan he was leaving before trying to do so. Where could he have gone – home? And why?  
  
     “Okay. Where haven’t you checked yet? Does Yunho know?” Jaehwan asks quickly as he hurries to see Ravi’s empty stall for himself, the door indeed slightly ajar to it. Jaehwan’s insides clench unpleasantly. What if he didn’t leave of his own free will? That hardly makes sense, as he doubts anyone would take only one apprentice, but he can’t say it’s impossible.

     Jaehwan starts organizing the apprentice handlers, all of them flocking to someone taking control in relief. Yunho is there minutes later, looking concerned but surprisingly calm. Jaehwan guesses it’s just a face he’s putting on for the younger handlers, though. The two of them give orders and separate out search parties, sending them out with orders to be kind if they find Ravi, and not to escalate any situation with aggression.  
  
     Jaehwan turns, trying to think where he should look himself through the rising panic in his brain, when he sees Hongbin leaning against Sanghyuk’s stall door, looking vaguely amused. Jaehwan wants to punch the smug look off Hongbin’s face. He’s not a fan of the apprentice at all, finding him too rough, too sadistic without the right balance of compassion to be a truly great dominant. He does have a soft spot for Sanghyuk, though, or so it seems, and Jaehwan knows that Hyuk has probably lasted this long through his recent struggles thanks to Hongbin’s careful attentions. It’s for that reason alone that Jaehwan tolerates the man.  
  
     “What are you doing standing around? You should have been listening with the other apprentices,” Jaehwan snaps, barely controlling his temper. This may be funny to Hongbin, who Jaehwan knows Wonshik holds little love for, but Jaehwan’s heart is hammering hard already from his racing thoughts.  
  
     “But why?” Hongbin asks innocently, his smile growing. “I’ve already found what we’re looking for.” Jaehwan stops and stares at him, and he feels Yunho and everyone within earshot do the same. Jaehwan wants to yell at him until he’s red in the face for just watching all of them rush around in a panic if this is true.  
  
     “Why didn’t you speak up earlier?” he grits out. Hongbin shrugs airily.

     “I tried to, but no one likes to listen to me. So I waited until you were all less busy.”

     Jaehwan swallows a snarl.  
  
     “Well then where. Is. He?” Hongbin laughs softly and pats the top of Sanghyuk’s stall door.  
  
     “Why don’t you see for yourself?” Hongbin slowly slides out of the way and Jaehwan’s face twists in confusion, but he steps forward with several others to look at whatever Hongbin is talking about.

     And there in the hay is Wonshik, sound asleep while wrapped protectively around Sanghyuk. Jaehwan’s breath leaves him in a rush, relief numbing his limbs for a moment. Wonshik was safe after all. He hadn’t left. He hadn’t _wanted_ to leave.

     Jaewhan feels Yunho peer over his shoulder and then issue quiet orders for everyone to go round up the searchers and get back to their normal morning routine. Jaehwan studies the scene, resolutely telling himself that Wonshik is simply his special case of this Appraisal cycle, in answer to the intense feelings that he has apparently started harboring for the pony. This is nothing more than one of Jaehwan’s pet projects. That’s it.  
    

     He opens the stall door, already the closest one, and shakes Wonshik gently. Where and who Wonshik was with was certainly an interesting puzzle. But Jaehwan would wait to hear why before jumping to conclusions. Wonshik makes a pathetic noise at the disruption and curls up more in an effort to stay asleep. He nuzzles into Sanghyuk’s shoulder, who turns toward him in response.

     Jaehwan can’t suppress a smile. Things were moving in a positive direction from what he could see. And he had his hunches as to Wonshik’s reasons, seeing how Sanghyuk’s face looks rather puffy and streaked. 

     “Wonshik. Come on Wonshik, it’s time to rise.”

~

     Wonshik lets out an aggravated noise at whoever is so insistent on waking him. “I’m awake, I’m awake,” he huffs in aggravation, snuggling closer to the warmth next to him. “I’ll get up soon.”  
  
     “No, you will get up now, Wonshik,” comes a stern voice, but there’s a tinge of amusement to it. Wonshik’s eyes snap open. That was not the voice of any of his family members.

       The face that peers down at him, eyebrows raised with an exasperated smile, is familiar, though. Wonshik blinks sleepily at Jaehwan, feeling terribly comfortable and warm, but if he’s in the barn then how…

     He suddenly registers the sensation of soft skin against his own and he sits up quickly, hay puffing up with him. Sanghyuk is still fast asleep, both of them very close and very, very naked. Wonshik can feel his face turning warm. He stammers some unconnected sounds out, but nothing that makes any sense, because he knows how this must look.

     And there are a lot of people looking, faces peering over the stall door looking surprised or intrigued. He sees Hongbin’s smirk and a frown pulls at his lips, trying to become a glare as the man leans in slightly.  
    

     “I see someone enjoyed themselves last night.”

     “Nothing like that happened,” Wonshik snaps and Jaehwan pinches his neck in a gentle reminder that he’s not in a position to sass trainers, obnoxious as some of them may be. Wonshik has seen Jaehwan look less than impressed with Hongbin before, and even now he looks as though he’d rather not give the reprimand.

     “Come on. Time for breakfast,” Jaehwan tells him, distracting Wonshik and helping him up from the hay. He brushes himself off and follows Jaehwan back to his own stall amidst the titters and the whispers and the calls reminding him that sex amongst pet apprentices without permission is against the rules. He tries to walk tall and proudly. They can gossip as they like, but his concern is mostly for Sanghyuk now. He doesn’t want anyone teasing the boy when he’s just starting to recover, but too many protests will only make their wrong impressions seem truer.

     So he stands in his stall and waits for breakfast to come, shifting from foot to foot in agitation. He wants to talk to Yunho and explain that neither of them were breaking the rules as soon as he can. It’s Jaehwan who comes back with the food and morning tack supplies, though. Wonshik is glad for that, but he still feels antsy, wanting to get out of the barn to clear Sanghyuk’s name more than his own. Jaehwan helps out with some morning chores as Wonshik eats, but he must have been hanging close by because as soon as Wonshik looks up a soft towel is already at his mouth. 

     He sighs a bit and tries to stay still as Jaehwan lets himself into the stall and starts dusting Wonshik off before setting to work.

     “Do you want to tell me what happened?” Jaehwan finally asks when Wonshik is so fidgety that Jaehwan keeps missing getting his fingers inside the man to prep him for the plug.  
  
     “You don’t think we had sex?” Wonshik asks, glancing over his shoulder at Jaehwan. The other man sits back a minute on his stool and regards the other.

     “It think that’s what it looked like, but I think that’s also an easy answer. Unless you and Sanghyuk have been carrying on some sort of secret relationship that absolutely no one here has caught on to, or you had a great hate fuck, which also doesn’t seem likely, then I don’t think that’s the answer. And you said yourself it didn’t happen.”  
  
     Wonshik lets out a breath, and nods a little. 

     “You won’t let this get around, right?” Jaehwan looks at him seriously.  
  
     “Of course not. Obviously if it’s endangering someone’s health, whatever it is, then I need to report to Yunho but other than that…” Wonshik is already shaking his head.

     “Nothing like that, at least I don’t think so. I just don’t want even more gossip.” Jaehwan nods, giving Wonshik space to start while he dresses him in the harness and other basic gear, leaving the plug for later.

     “I got up to take a piss last night and I heard something weird on the way back. I was kind of freaked out at first,” Wonshik admits, laughing sheepishly. “I couldn’t figure out what it was. Then I realized it was…someone…crying.” Wonshik makes sure to lower his voice. “It was coming from Sanghyuk’s stall, and sure enough, he was there, pretty upset.” 

     Jaehwan’s able to predict where this is going and his heart is melting already, his suspicions indeed correct after all. Wonshik must see whatever adoring look he has on his face, because the pony grows progressively quieter and more flustered as he speaks. 

     “I felt bad, and, uh…I’d wanted to talk to him for a while, since he’s been having a hard time. So I went in and tried to talk to him, and he was just having a bad day and homesick and…” Wonshik rushes through the end of the story and downplays what had happened, but he has a feeling Jaehwan will be able to piece it all together anyway. 

     Speaking of, the man is practically radiating happiness, but Jaehwan apparently swallows down whatever pleased sound he wants to emit and just puts his hands on Wonshik’s face, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

     “I’m proud of you.” Wonshik’s face explodes in a blush, his insides quivering a bit. “Thank you for doing that for Sanghyuk.”

     “Don’t need to thank me,” Wonshik mumbles. “Wanted to do it.” Jaehwan chuckles at the modesty as he gets back to work on Wonshik. The pony is relieved to be let out from his stall at last, and to have been listened to. He heads for the training ring without prompting, eagerly behind Jaehwan to be in the fresh air.

     Some of the other handlers and ponies are sending him glances and smirks and how has Wonshik gotten to be the center of attention once again? He ignores it all, and sees Sanghyuk being led over as well. The other boy takes in all the stares and he looks unsure, unable to find his footing amongst the sudden shift in attention, back to where people are finally acknowledging him again, if not necessarily for good reasons.

     Wonshik meets his eyes from across the ring and nods a little. He doesn’t want to cause trouble for Sanghyuk by drawing more attention to themselves, but he also doesn’t want to lose the thread they found last night. Sanghyuk looks away but then darts his eyes back and nods just a little bit. 

     Wonshik will be satisfied with that for now. He turns his attention to their practice, which is all about gaits today. They’d just been taught cantering, so today was to, as always, practice the basics and then work on their new gait.

     By the time it’s over Wonshik is hot and sweaty again. Now that he’s settled in and decided to really try this, he’s been putting all his effort in, but it hasn’t made training any less tiring so far. He’s still catching his breath as they’re let into the pasture and given lunch. He looks for the other apprentices he usually sits with, and then for Hyuk. Hyuk is off by himself again, but he’s looking around instead of hiding away, maybe a little bit hopeful, or at least Wonshik imagines so.

     Wonshik won’t let this good sign pass by. 

     He tries to come off casual as he walks up to Hyuk and offers him a hand up.

     “Why don’t you come eat with me today?” Wonshik can feel eyes on them, waiting and watching and trying to piece together what’s going on between them. Hyuk makes eye contact and his nerves are clear, but the other pony takes Wonshik’s hand and gets to his feet before collecting his lunch. 

     “Is it really okay?” Hyuk asks softly as he follows Wonshik toward a wide-eyed circle of apprentices.

     “It’ll have to be,” Wonshik replies, much more coolly than he feels. He sits himself down in the sunwarmed grass as if everything is normal and motions for Hyuk to do the same. Wonshik’s Appraisalmates are silent, staring at the two of them in concern. Wonshik decides to just dive right in.

      “Sanghyuk and I were talking last night. We fell asleep and that’s why I was in his stall. We’re moving past what happened, so I’d like it if everyone else did, too. Understand?”  
  
     Wonshik looks at their faces. Most look surprised or unsure. Wonshik shrugs at them and digs into his lunch. It’s silent for a moment or two before people begin murmuring to each other. Wonshik gives them an annoyed look.

      “Really, it’s in the past. Let’s leave it there.” A few people flush at being caught gossiping and others duck their heads. Wonshik knows not everyone will go for this, but he thinks everything will smooth out with time. Slowly a regular lunch conversation begins, and while no one directly addresses Sanghyuk, he isn’t obviously excluded either. They’ll work on it, Wonshik thinks.

     When they finish lunch they have an hour of getting used to “grazing” – having time in the pasture as ponies without structured training – and Wonshik turns to Sanghyuk as everyone disperses.

     “I meant it, last night,” Wonshik says with a gentle smile. “I’d like to try to be friends. We’ll have free time later so do you want to talk?” His voice gets softer, a bit shy at so earnestly asking to be friends like this. It’s probably uncomfortable for both of them but Wonshik feels it has to be done. 

     “Just to get to know each other.” Hyuk stares at him for a minute before nodding with an awkward little shrug.

     “Yeah. Okay.” Wonshik relaxes when he hadn’t even realized he was tense in the first place, and smiles at Hyuk.

     “I’ll see you later then.”

     Wonshik would have been happy to spend time with Hyuk now as well, but he didn’t want to overwhelm either of them. He also knew that spending lots of time together that day might fuel more rumors about them, or make it look like Hyuk was Wonshik’s shadow who couldn’t stand on his own without Wonshik’s acceptance and encouragement of others. 

   So Wonshik wanders off through the pasture and then later on goes to read the letters from his family that had recently arrived. They make him smile, and also make his chest ache a little, missing the familiar comforts of home. But the temptation to run back to them is no longer nearly as strong or enticing. Wonshik walks through the woods to have some time on his own as well, learning the paths and thinking to himself.

      And when he no longer wants to be alone, Wonshik returns to the main area of the training compound, leaning against a fence to watch the older ponies work.

      After supper and getting rinsed off and dried down that night, Wonshik pads to his stall, hovering as he peers over at Sanghyuk’s. He finds the pony tucking his own letters from home away in the cubby above his stall. Sanghyuk notices him and jumps a little in surprise, gaze darting away.

      “You have time? I don’t often do anything before our sleeping hours, so I thought…” Wonshik says, and Sanghyuk nods, letting them both into his stall. They keep it unlatched and slightly open so none of the trainers will get the wrong idea again.

     Wonshik tries to get comfortable sitting on some of the hay, and the silence is awkward at first. 

     “What was your reaction at first?” he asks to break the quiet. “When you got your Appraisal?”

     “You’ll laugh,” Sanghyuk says, and Wonshik smiles, leaning back against the wall.

     “Well now I just want to know more.” Sanghyuk looks up over the gate to his stall, muttering softly, “I didn’t know what ponies were.” He coughs sheepishly as Wonshik’s smile grows.

     “That’s-“

      “Don’t even think about saying cute,” Sanghyuk tells him with a grumpy glare. Wonshik just grins at him.

     “So what was that like then?” Sanghyuk shrugs. 

     “I was excited. Just happy to be in the pleasure trades. It sounded active, so I liked that.”

     “And once you learned what ponies were?” Wonshik asks curiously. Sanghyuk thinks on it.

     “I was still happy. I just wanted to get here and see what it was really like. I didn’t take a long leisure time, so I think the idea of starting my life for real influenced how I felt a lot.”

     “Had you thought you’d end up in a position like this? Or did you have any ideas what your pleasure trade might be?” Hyuk shrugs again.

     “Not really, no. I didn’t think it would be anything too fancy, as I’m not much for painting my face or wearing nice things some pleasure attendants enjoy.” Sanghyuk goes quiet, but he seems to be mulling something over, so Wonshik doesn’t speak again for the moment.

     “I think, deep down, I did think I’d be in a more dominant position,” Sanghyuk admits quietly. “It didn’t bother me much at first, but I think it’s also part of the reason I was so excited. I was nervous, and I was doubting things a little maybe, so I think I believed that if I was just excited enough about it I’d feel more sure of myself. That might make sense as to why you bothered me so much.” Sanghyuk is smiling sheepishly again.

    Wonshik just nods at him to go on.

     “I think I was jealous, actually. You were expressing all the fears I had, and I think I felt like if I saw someone else doubting things, I’d lose it. And maybe I was a little pissed off that someone else was acting how I wanted to while I was sucking it up, but still getting treated well by the handlers.”

    Sanghyuk has been lost in thought as he talks, and he looks back up at last as if realizing that he’s been talking all this time.

     “Sorry about that, by the way. Again.” Wonshik shakes his head with an easy smile.

     “It’s okay. Like I said, it’s in the past. And that all makes a lot of sense. Does it feel better now?” Maybe talking about it will help Sanghyuk exorcise the last of his troubles. Sanghyuk leans back against the stall now, too, and nods.  
  
     “It does actually.’ Sanghyuk blows out a breath. “I just…I’ve been fucking up, and I’m worried that I’ve already done the damage and I won’t ever get better.” Wonshik shakes his head at the other pony.

     “It’s only been a month. We have plenty of time. I felt the same way, I thought it had all been a mistake after the first few days. I just had to…do what we came here to do while still being scared of it. Jaehwan helped, too,” Wonshik admits, though he lowers his voice just in case the trainer might be around to hear. Wonshik didn’t need anymore overly excited smiles today. 

     “That apprentice Hongbin has been like that for me.” Wonshik nods, keeping his opinion of the man to himself. At least he was helping Sanghyuk, and Wonshik wouldn’t spoil this budding truce over him.

     “So…” Wonshik isn’t sure where to go from here and gives Sanghyuk a sheepish smile while he thinks on something else to talk about. “Oh – what did you want to be when you were little?”

     Things start to slide into place from there. Sanghyuk had wanted to be in a trade that was athletic when he was young, because he loved to be outside and working his body. Wonshik talks of his bodyguard dreams as a kid, and then of course naturally about his sister and the rest of his family. He makes Sanghyuk laugh when he warns him preemptively that Wonshik will never introduce Hyuk to his sister. Hyuk shares about his family, then his hometown, and they somehow end up on the topic of music. The conversation spins out easily from there and suddenly they have to part for their curfew before either realizes it.

     Wonshik goes to sleep warm with the realization that there’s no need to force a friendship between them – without the stresses of apprentice life, they probably would have hit it off naturally when they first met.

~ 

     Jaehwan definitely tells Yunho about what Wonshik did. Wonshik can conclude this because the amount of beaming smiles focused on him doubles by the next day. Interestingly, Hongbin glares at Wonshik during their off time, but treats him without his usual roughness during training drills when they get paired up. Jealousy and appreciation make strange bedfellows, Wonshik decides. It must be tough for him, which itself makes Wonshik smile a bit smugly to himself.

     Wonshik continues to work on integrating Sanghyuk into the group. As May warms and promises of summer peek through some days, Sanghyuk’s performance and attitude improve. The apprentices, on seeing this, melt their glacial reception of him slightly. Sanghyuk picks up the fledgling friendships he’d made again, too.

     Yet Wonshik and Sanghyuk find themselves in each other’s company more often than not. Now reconciled, they turn out to be well-suited as friends, their slightly competitive natures driving both of them to perform well during training as well.

      Sanghyuk continues to be a pain in Wonshik’s ass, but in a way he no longer minds. They talk together in one of their stalls most nights, and keep each other’s company on their days off.

     Their level of comfort with each other grows, too, necessitated by the amount of time they spend nude in each other’s presence. Beyong cuddling, there are playful touches and slaps on their off time, though Wonshik knows neither of them have romantic plans for the other. This, of course, due in part to both of their strange feelings for their respective favorite stablehands.

     All of this is to say, Wonshik thinks one late Saturday afternoon in May, that Sanghyuk’s hand on his dick during grazing is not entirely unexpected or unwelcome. In fact he should have expected it sooner, given the way their fight first began.

     Wonshik glances over at Sanghyuk from his very comfortable napping position, eyebrows raised.

     “You gonna do something with that hand, or just leave it there like a court statue?”

      “Wonshik,” Sanghyuk whines, flopping across his warm body in a fit of dramatics. “I need relief.” Wonshik snorts at him.

     “Don’t we all.” The constant itch of half-arousal, always denied, is actually one of the most difficult parts of their life, one Wonshik hadn’t truly thought of before. They’ve all been milked again, and had lots of teasing during training, but always having the real thing just out of reach is maddening. All the newer apprentices are a little wound up at this point.

     “That means play with meeeeeeeee,” Sanghyuk whines when Wonshik seems to have lapsed into thought, or dozed back off again.

     “We’re not allowed, you know that,” Wonshik chuckles, Sanghyuk’s body moving on top of his with every laugh. Sanghyuk makes an aggravated noise and maneuvers around so he’s now laying on top of Wonshik, nose to nose with him.

     “So?” Sanghyuk huffs. Wonshik pushes his shoulder to get him off.

     “So do you want to end up with a punishment that’s only going to make you hornier and more frustrated?” Wonshik questions, with an air of patient amusement. Sanghyuk narrows his eyes at the smugness.

     “You’re just chicken,” he declares, lifting his chin in the air. “Because you know you’d love it and you’re scared you’d end up begging me to fuck you.” 

     Wonshik laughs out loud this time, shoving at Sanghyuk to make it up into a sitting position when the other stubbornly tries to keep him down.

     “You wish, Hyukkie. We both know it would be you doing the begging.”  Wonshik cries out in surprise when teeth bite down on his shoulder.

     “….would not,” Sanghyuk smirks, folding his arms over his chest triumphantly when Wonshik looks at him with shock, rubbing the red mark on his shoulder.

     “You little shit,” Wonshik huffs, reaching out and twisting Sanghyuk’s nipples before the other can stop him. Sanghyuk helps and squirms away, slapping his hands over the sensitive nubs.

     “Uncalled for retaliation!” he complains.

     “Your first go of it was way more out of line!” Wonshik argues back, before noticing Sanghyuk’s focused gaze. He has a minute to prepare before Sanghyuk tackles him back to the grass, but instead of a playful punch or wiggling fingers jammed into his ticklish sides, a hot tongue laves up Wonshik’s neck.

     He gasps, hips bucking before his can think better of it. Sanghyuk doesn’t stop to gloat this time, biting down anew and sucking, apparently without a worry of getting caught by the trainers.

     Not getting in trouble is one thing. But for Wonshik, revenge must always take precedence. So when Sanghyuk lets go, pausing for breath and to survey his work, Wonshik smoothes hands down Hyuk’s sides, then hooks an ankle with the other boy’s and rolls them over.

       He smoothly leans in to give Hyuk’s nipples the same treatment Wonshik’s neck received, rewarded by Sanghyuk’s slightly outraged moans. There are hands on his thighs, sliding up toward Wonshik’s ass, but he has excellent core strength, able to stay in position while grabbing those wrists and pinning them back to the grass.

     Wonshik feels Sanghyuk’s cock brushing his skin and he smirks when he comes up for air.

     “What a natural, you like being restrained,” he coos, the outrage on Sanghyuk’s face plain. He’s not expecting Sanghyuk to surge up, breaking his grip as they both tumble over, rolling around on the ground in earnest now. All thoughts of anyone nearby are forgotten as they wrestle for the upper hand.

     Sanghyuk’s fingers find that place Wonshik likes squeezed on his thighs, but Sanghyuk is hamstrung when Wonshik nibbles and licks behind Hyuk’s knee, up toward his groin. As the competition between them grows heated, each of them sneak fingers and hands closer to their now apparent goals, the threat of pulling out the other’s plug imminent.

~ 

     “Should we, uh….do something about that?” Soojung asks Jaehwan nervously, her voice slightly strained.

     “Fuck no,” Hyuna breathes, her attention rapt on the wrestling ponies from where most of the trainers and apprentice stablehands are leaning on the fence near Wonshik and Sanghyuk.

     Jaehwan shakes his head at her, though he’s grinning, because he understandably shares the sentiment.

      “No, I don’t think so. Bossman? Do we want to let this play out?” Jaehwan asks, glancing back to where Yunho is watching with a milder interest. 

     “Go ahead,” Yunho grants, though he flashes Jaehwan a less professional wink when everyone else turns back to the scene. Jaehwan fights the urge to rub his hands together. He loses. 

     “Okay, apprentices!” Jaehwan announces to the others around him, loud enough for the benefit of some of the ponies loitering nearby to watch whether their training mates are reprimanded or stopped.

      “While pony apprentices, and submissives in general, are not allowed to have sex of any kind without express permission, some touching and play is expected, and even encouraged. The play fighting demonstrated here is natural, and helps them blow off steam.” Jaehwan glances at the two engaged apprentices and smirks a little wider.

     “What we have here is a dominance fight. Neither pony wants to be mounted, and both want to mount the other. We will raise the stakes on that. Watch.” 

     Jaehwan puts two fingers between his lips and whistles piercingly, laughing a bit when the two on the ground break apart, faces dazed and slightly panicked as they register all the people watching them.

      Jaehwan nods back at Yunho, who moves to the fence to be heard more easily.

      “Apprentices…” Yunho indulges in a moment of suspense. “You may continue.  Whichever one of you next pins the other completely will be allowed to mount them. Both of you may reach completion, though you may not finish inside the one being mated. Understand?”

~ 

     The tension leaves Wonshik’s body for a moment, staring at their head trainer in disbelief, unsure he heard correctly. Sanghyuk is still frozen, too, but the embarrassment of discovering the entire pasture and all their attendant trainers had been watching them is easily wiped away by the announcement of not just permission to continue, but to find relief at last. Yunho raises his eyebrows at them, inclining his head to wonder if they’re going to get on with it then.

     Wonshik looks back at Sanghyuk, and the other pony meets his eyes, somewhat questioningly. Wonshik nods at him. He’s okay with it. Sanghyuk nods as well. They trust each other, and they both know an experience together won’t be unpleasant.

     They both look back to Yunho.

     “We are agreed,” they call together, and Yunho’s officialness turns to a smile. The game is back on in an instant.

      Nothing is off limits now as both Wonshik and Sanghyuk grasp at arms, legs, shoulders, stomachs, trying to pin the other down while evading capture themselves. They never kiss, though, some unspoken agreement that that is something to be saved for others, even as they touch each other so intimately.

     Wonshik almost has Sanghyuk down after what seems like an endless struggle. They are both hard, leaking, and tiring, but Wonshik can’t get Sanghyuk’s feet or legs immobilized. He twists slightly to glance over his shoulder and find a solution, and that’s when Sanghyuk seizes his opportunity.

     Sanghyuk’s knee comes up, knocking Wonshik forward into Sanghyuk’s chest, a sudden reversal of strategy. Sanghyuk’s arms wrap tight around Wonshik and instead of rolling him onot his back in a continuation of the way things have gone between them until now, Sanghyuk slithers out from under Wonshik, still keeping the man’s arms trapped against his body, and then presses him into the grass and dirt face first, sitting on his legs and then stretching out to pin Wonshik’s arms as well.

     Wonshik attempts to struggle, but all his efforts to free himself are just fruitless wiggling now. He makes an angry noise through his panting breaths as it becomes clear that Sanghyuk has won.

     Footsteps approach, and hands gently draw them apart, though they also make sure Wonshik can’t go anywhere.

     “Sanghyuk wins. He will have the privilege of mounting if he would like it,” Yunho announces from above them. Wonshik glares over his shoulder as Sanghyuk fervently nods his head yes.

     Wonshik continues to huff and grumble, sore loser that he is, but he meets Jaehwan’s carefully checking gaze while someone is sliding a sheath on Sanghyuk, and he nods. He’s peeved about being bested, but he agreed to all outcomes of this. Jaehwan rubs his cheek, then carefully takes out Wonshik’s plug. He presses three fingers in with more salve, making sure Wonshik is really ready, tugs him up into position on all fours, and then he steps back, hopping to the other side of the fence again.

     Someone sets Sanghyuk up behind him, and also retreats to the other side of the fence. Sanghyuk puts a hand on Wonshik’s hip, squeezes once. Wonshik’s skin breaks out into goosebumps and his breath stutters as the reality of this quickly sets in. His feelings on the win are also dissipating fast as he feels Hyuk’s cock brushing his entrance He looks back at Sanghyuk, whose pupils are blown wide with desire.

     “Go.”

     Wonshik drops his head and groans, his fingers curling into the ground beneath him as Sanghyuk sinks in. It’s not all the way, but Wonshik is already speechless. After such a log buildup, having something real and substantial opening him is rushing through him in ways he can’t give voice too.

     So he just pushes back on Sanghyuk’s cock shamelessly. He apparently takes Sanghyuk by surprise, who jolts, falling over Wonshik’s back onto all fours as well with a guttural cry.

     Wonshik gets what he wants, though, that warm stretch filling him more, and Wonshik’s head hangs down, his breaths raspy. Neither of them will last long, but his mind isn’t on that, nor on their enthralled audience on all sides. 

     Sanghyuk gets himself under control and finishes pressing in, gasping in a breath and immediately drawing out to start this fucking in earnest. Wonshik jerks with the first sharp, uncontrolled thrusts, grunting as Sanghyuk’s hips slam against him.

     His eyes close at some point, sunlight still coloring his darkened gaze as Sanghyuk finds his pace. Fuck, it feels so good, better than it has any right to feel. Wonshik moans again as they find their rhythm, his body moving on its own. He can’t help it, he needs to- 

     Wonshik gives in to his urges and moves down onto his elbows, chest pressed to grass, open and unafraid and accepting. The angle changes Sanghyuk fucking him into something divine, and he simply keens, each press drawing new little cries from him, reveling in the feeling. His breath catches in his throat, their pace moving faster and faster, something rising in him now, and he lets go of whatever is left tying him to earth, half-screaming as he cums against his stomach, his body shaking as warmth and light envelop him. 

    He’s not sure if it’s seconds or minutes later that he regains awareness, but it can’t be too long as he feels Sanghyuk pulling out of him with hoarse cries of his own. Wonshik sprawls out in the grass, cracking his eyes open.

       He feels more than he sees the heavy heat in the gazes of everyone watching them. He smiles as Sanghyuk flops to the ground beside him, also out of it now, seeing how some people’s eyes are glazed over.

     When Jaehwan climbs over the fence once more with a couple others, Wonshik licks his lips. Jaehwan’s eyes are dark, and the bulge in his breeches is obscene. Wonshik still has little idea if he actually even likes the man, but all he can suddenly think of is sucking him off.

     He’s in a haze, still wanting to please, wanting more, and when Jaehwan kneels down to check in with them both, Wonshik moves, feeling as though he’s watching this happening from outside himself. Jaehwan’s hand caresses his cheek again, plump lips moving. Wonshik doesn’t hear, or doesn’t process, whatever he says, instead nuzzling into the man’s thigh.

     He just wants…he wants… Wonshik crawls forward, flicking his eyes up to Jaehwan’s intent ones, and opens his mouth. He makes a noise, pleased with himself when his lips close around the tip of Jaehwan’s dick. This, he likes this, he thinks, mouthing at the trainer’s erection calmly. He gets in a couple good sucks and a nice bit of playful mouthing, but then he’s being gently pushed away, hands stroking down his neck and over his face. 

     “Appreciated, but you’re in subspace, handsome.” Wonshik can hear again, apparently, as Jaehwan presses a kiss to the top of his head, cradling Wonshik’s face in his hands. His brain can’t quite put together what Jaehwan means right now, but he does understand he’s being denied.

     His body is warm and heavy so he doesn’t even pout about it, his brain resolving that he will get what he wants another time as the world around him starts to come back into focus, rather than its previous form of patches of melting color.

     Another time for sure, he thinks as he’s cleaned up. But this was an excellent start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're still chugging along here! Thank you for still sticking with me. Six months is better than a year between updates, at least?
> 
> As always, thank you for your support and your comments. There's been a lot of change on my end since the last update, in jobs and location and all that kind of fun stuff. Maybe this will be the time my promise of more frequent updates actually sticks!


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